Crostinis are easy to make and well worth the effort. Enjoy them freshly baked from the oven, as they’re still warm and so, so good!
MAKING THE CROSTINIS
- Begin by setting the oven to 200°C.
- You can choose to use either a typical French baguette (long) or a baton (short). I chose to use a baton for this recipe that didn’t have as many air bubbles. Sometimes French baguettes are so crisp and filled with holes, which is the goal of most French bakers, that the toppings can fall through. The choice is entirely up to you!
- Slice the bread slightly diagonally or straight ensuring that the slices are about 1 cm wide. Depending upon how many guests you’re serving, you probably want to factor at least 3 to 4 slices per guest…unless you’re feeding my kids…then it’s an endless amount!!!
- Place the slices on top of a wire wrack that is nestled inside a baking tray. Space them out because you want to ensure that each one evenly browns.
- Next brush some extra virgin olive oil lightly over both sides of the crostinis. I used a pastry brush. You can use alternatives to olive oil. Here are some ideas
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Chilli-infused olive oil
- Rapeseed oil
- Melted butter
- Next, decide what spices, seasonings and herbs to include. Remember not to add too many seasonings, especially if you’re spreading cheese on top of the crostini. You don’t want the flavours and aromas to compete with each other. I’ve listed some options below;
- Salt
- Salt and Pepper
- Caster sugar (Add this towards the end of baking, otherwise, it will burn!!)
- Various herbs and spices
- Once your crostinis are ready, place them near the top inside the oven and bake for 3 minutes on each side. You’ll want to monitor them carefully.
- Once golden brown on both sides, remove from the oven and place them on a platter or bowl. You can serve them warm or cold. The choice is yours!
Serving
- Enjoy with a variety of toppings such as antipastos, tapenades, cheeses, fruit spreads, roasted vegetables etc…I could go on all day! Be creative!