Italian Hot Brown Crostini Recipes

CROSTINI

Steps:

• Set the oven to broil at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, butter and garlic. Set over medium heat, and cook until butter has melted and the mixture starts to bubble. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
• Dip each slice of bread into the garlic mixture, turning to coat each side. Place Parmesan cheese on a plate. Press one side of each piece of bread into the cheese, and place cheese side up on a baking sheet.
• Broil on the middle rack of the preheated oven for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

RICK'S BASIC CROSTINI

Steps:

• 1. On a cutting board, finely chop the garlic and sprinkle the salt over it. Keep chopping and smashing the garlic and salt together to make a paste. Use a wide-bladed knife so you can smear the paste along its flat side. You can also do this with a mortar and pestle.
• 2. In a small bowl, mix the butter, lemon juice, and garlic paste. Fold the softened butter over and onto the garlic mixture, mashing it down with the back of a spoon or spatula. Season to taste with pepper and continue folding.
• 3. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Scrape the butter onto the plastic and use the plastic wrap to shape butter into a log, encased in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. If not using within 3 days, you can freeze the garlic butter for up to 2 months. Let the butter soften before using.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• 5. Lay the bread on a baking sheet and brush both sides with garlic butter. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown but not too crispy. Let cool before using.
• Good Butter
• The difference between really good butter and all other butter lies with the butterfat content of the cream, which depends in large part on the cows and how the cream is handled before it is churned into butter. The best butter from Europe is made from raw or cultured cream and, particularly that made from raw cream, might not be imported to the United States. But never fear: At American companies such as the Vermont Butter & Cheese Company, the butter is made from high-grade cream (a high butterfat content) that is cultured and then churned. The butter is rich and flavorful and when it's salted, its salt content is significantly lower than typical salted butter. This is what I use in my crostini recipes, so depending on the salted butter you choose, you may not need to add any salt. As with all ingredients for these recipes, choose the best butter you can. It pays off in terms of taste.

PERFECT CROSTINI

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil onto a large baking sheet.
• 3. Slice baguettes crosswise in 1/2-inch slices and lay slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over slices. Sprinkle slices evenly with salt and bake until crispy and golden brown, approximately 20-25 minutes.

CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place bread slices on ungreased cookie sheet. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil over each bread slice.
• Mix tomato, basil, capers, salt and pepper. Spread half of the tomato mixture over bread slices; top each with cheese slice. Spread remaining tomato mixture over cheese.
• Bake about 8 minutes or until bread is hot and cheese is melted. Serve hot.

ROASTED GRAPE AND BURRATA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place grapes and rosemary on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and sugar. Roast until grapes are sizzling along the bottom and a few but not all have burst, 20 to 25 minutes. Smear cheese on crostini, and top with grapes.