Italian Appetizers Recipes - Crostini

Ingredients   

• 1 8-ounce loaf baguette-style French bread

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 recipe Basil Pesto and White Beans or 1 recipe

• Fresh Tomato and Olives

• Finely shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional)

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 42S°F. For crostini, biascut bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lightly brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil.

2. Lightly sprinkle oiled side with pepper. Arrange in a single layer on an un-greased baking sheet. Bake for 4 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for 3 to 4 minutes more or until crisp and light brown.

3. To serve the Basil Pesto and White Beans, spread pesto topping on the oiled side of each toast; top each with a small amount of bean mixture. To serve the Fresh Tomato and Olives, top oiled side of each toast with tomato mixture. If desired, sprinkle with cheese.

BASIL PESTO AND WHITE BEANS: In a small bowl combine 1 cup purchased basil pesto; 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped; and 1 teaspoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar. In another small bowl combine half of a 19-ounce can cannelloni beans (white kidney beans) or half of a 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained; 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion or chopped shallot; 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper. 

FRESH TOMATO AND OLIVES: In a small bowl combine 1 cup seeded and finely chopped tomatoes, 1 cup coarsely chopped assorted pitted black olives (such as gaeta, sicilian, or kalamata), 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or parsley, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, and 2 cloves garlic, minced. 

MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS: Cool toast; place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For the Basil Pesta and White Beans, transfer the pesto and bean toppings into two separate plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. For the Fresh Tomato and Olives, transfer topping into a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, Chill toppings for up to 24 hours.