Crostini

Crostini are merely toasted slices of baguette, but they’re infinitely variable as a platform for quick, elegant appetizers. Here are a few ideas for quick entertaining.

Ingredients #

Instructions #

Preheat oven to 300 F. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil and arrange them on an ungreased baking sheet. (I sometimes just lay the slices on the pan and drizzle them with the thin stream of oil – they come out just fine.) Sprinkle the bread with salt. A little bit of Spanish smoked paprika adds both color and a hint of smoky flavor if you’ve got it on hand.

Bake the bread on the top rack of the preheated oven until it’s golden brown, turning the slices once during baking.

Here are some ideas for quick toppings for your crostini:

• Thin curls of Parmeggiano-Regiano drizzled with wildflower honey and sprinkled with smoked sea salt
• Any combination of jarred marinated vegetables (artichoke hearts, mushrooms, eggplant, roasted peppers, etc.) drained, chopped and seasoned to taste; sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley to serve.
• Diced fresh tomatoes tossed with a fruity olive oil and a pinch of salt is a classic. Top each toast with a fresh basil leaf.