Crostini with Two Toppings

Crostini (literally, “little toasts”) are among the world’s easiest appetizers. Happily, they are also filling and nearly infinitely adaptable. At a recent dinner party, I made a selection of two different kinds, each kind popular and each easy. One is a simple spread made of anchovy, ricotta, and butter (loosely following a recipe by Marcella Hazan); the other is a classic Provençal tapenade (based on the recipe in Martha Rose Shulman’sProvençal Light). This selection is visually appealing, since it allows you to alternate white and black (even if the white is off-white and the black is deep purple).

If you, your family, or your guests will resist or refuse the idea of eating anchovies (in which case, SHAME!!!) you can easily find a number of alternatives for the ricotta-anchovy spread. For example, you might try two to three tablespoons of capers (drained) in place of the anchovies–or even a small quantity of chopped cornichons. It would be even simpler to buy a soft goat cheese and herb (or goat cheese and garlic) spread. I sometimes make a spread made only of cream cheese, thinly sliced scallions, a bit of salt, and a squeeze or two of lemon juice. This is best made the night before you need to use it–just bring it to room temperature before you need to use it. Usually I serve it in the bowl end of Belgian endive, but it would be just as good on crostini. All of these options will still let you make my two-tone crostini, but will accomodate anchovy-phobes.

Crostini with Two Toppings

Chris

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Ingredients

  

For the Crostini

• One or two baguettes depending on length, sliced ¼ to ½ inch thick depending on taste

For the Tapenade

• ½ pound black olives pitted (Greek or Provençal)
• 2 large cloves garlic minced
• 1½ tablespoons drained capers
• 4 to 6 anchovy fillets
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• lots of freshly ground blck pepper

For the Ricotta-Anchovy Spread

• ½ pound fresh ricotta
• 1 tablespoon butter room temperature
• 8 anchovy fillets
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

For the Crostini

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit).
• Slice baguettes into 35 to 45 pieces. Place the sliced bread on one or more cookie sheets. (You may have to work in batches.) Bake for 5 to 7 minutes (but check at 5), until the surface of the bread is firm and the color has turned a light gold.
• Remove from oven and cool.

For the Tapenade

• Put olives, garlic, capers, anchovies, thyme, and rosemary in the bowl of a food processor and puree.
• Add the remaining ingredients and process until you have a smooth paste.
• Refrigerate.
• If you need to keep this in the refrigerator for any length of time (up to a week), put it in a container and pour a slight film of olive over the top to keep it moist.

For the Ricotta-Anchovy Spread

• Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until you have a smooth paste.
• Spread generously on cooled crostini and serve.

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