Crisp, golden crostini are easy to make and form the perfect base for a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres. Delicious for general snacking too!
The day I prepared this easy recipe for a photo shoot was “one of those days.” I woke up to no heat and a 59℉ (brrrr!!!) house. Outside temps, by the way, were 28℉.
Then a mysterious puddle of water saturated the rug below my kitchen sink and soaked items in the cabinet directly underneath. Minutes after dealing with that mess, I cut into potatoes for a Parmesan Baked Potatoes video, and the potatoes were full of black spots. Happily, Emily saved that project by delivering the three potatoes she had planned to cook for her family’s dinner that night. (Thank you, Emily!)
And then…
Trying to expedite things for the now-delayed photo shoot, I placed the tray of crostini on the top rack while potatoes were cooking on the middle rack. While I knew the bread wouldn’t cook evenly this way, I thought I could monitor it closely and brown the tops just enough for the photos. I knew my recipe was reliable when cooking as directed and figured I could fudge it in this instance.
I should have known that closely monitoring something during a photo shoot is not always possible. Before I knew it, I had burned the edges. So much for saving time! We salvaged the pieces that were acceptable, and funny enough, all the slightly charred pieces were devoured by everyone in the kitchen – to the point that I had to make sure they left enough to photograph!
A few more worthy crostini details…
Crostini provides a no-waste way to use a leftover portion of a baguette, or a full loaf that has sat too long and is beginning to dry out.
The following crunchy rounds will taste fresher than store-bought with fewer ingredients, and the simple flavors of good bread, olive oil, and a dusting of sea salt make them good enough to snack on as is. Dare I say these rival potato chips?
I also like to use the crostini as a dipper for hummus or top them with cream cheese or crème fraiche and smoked salmon—or even a little tuna, egg, or chicken salad. In the summer, I use them as dipper for a super simple fresh salsa that’s always a hit.
(In case you want to try that salsa when tomatoes are at their peak, I combine chopped tomatoes, a little onion, fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil and Balsamic vinegar plus salt and pepper to taste. The trick is to let the tomatoes sit in a colander after dicing to drain for a few minutes. This prevents the salsa from becoming watery.)
Depending on the desired size for the crostini, you may slice the bread straight across to form uniform rounds or on the diagonal for bigger pieces. I tend to go with the straight cut when I will be serving as a topped, hand-held appetizer, like Easy Tomato Bruschetta (recipe coming), as a bigger piece of the crisp bread is more likely to break when bitten into. A one or two bite piece tends to be less messy.
How to use crostini:
- Dipped into fresh salsa
- Topped with a layer of goat cheese and fresh salsa (drain liquid from salsa first)
- Dipped into hot appetizers like Baked Artichoke Dip
- As a crisp base for spreads like hummus and soft cheeses
- Served alongside soups, stews, and salads instead of crackers or a roll
Pro tip: When visiting a friend in Italy years ago, I learned a clever garlic bread trick, which I often employ when making crostini. To impart the essence of garlic, simply rub the cut bread with a cut clove of garlic before brushing the bread with olive oil. This infuses light flavor and creates a heavenly aroma while baking.
Gluten-free baguette may be used. I recently tested one by Against All Grain, and the outcome was quite good—while understandably not as perfect as an artisanal loaf purchased the day it was baked. I did find that the gluten-free batches toasted to a deeper, even golden brown (as opposed to a pale golden), and had better texture. Recently, a reader told me that she had good results with Schar’s gluten-free baguettes and another mentioned Udi’s is superior to Schar’s!
And speaking of golden brown color… You may toast the bread to your desired shade, hence the time range in the recipe instructions. However, if you’re planning on returning the crostini to the oven with a topping, as with Easy Tomato Bruschetta, I recommend sticking with a pale golden, so the edges don’t burn when further baking or broiling.
A step-by-step in pictures:
Homemade Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 long, narrow baguette (crusty French bread)*
- 1½ - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
- Optional: 1 garlic clove
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉, and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired. (If not using parchment, you need not grease the sheet.)
- Slice your baguette on the diagonal or straight, depending on preferred size. Slice them no wider than ½-inch. A serrated or bread knife works well if you have one. Then arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- If using garlic, cut off a thin slice from the peeled clove, and rub the cut side over all the bread slices. (I generally rub just one side of the sliced bread.)
- Brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil, and then lightly sprinkle the top side with salt, if using.
- Bake on the middle rack for 8-12 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and lightly golden on top. Precise time will depend on how fresh the bread is and how golden you’d like the crostini to be.
- Storage: Allow the crostini to cool completely and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
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