As I prepared to write this article I did a quick online search and learned that you can buy pre-made crostini at the grocery store. Who knew? I’d guess lots of people knew that, but I wasn’t sure. It’s such an easy thing to make that I don’t think I’ve ever bought it.
What is crostini? Pretty much it’s toasted bread. You know, that thing that you love to eat on the weekend covered in butter? There’s a difference in the way it’s prepared, but when it comes down to it, I’d compare it to toast.
This lovely, crunchy bread has a multitude of uses. It works as a garnish for a soup or salad. Crostini pairs with numerous dips and spreads as the delivery vehicle. It can be the base of an open-faced sandwich.
If we want to be technical, crostini usually comes from a baguette so that you end up with small slices. However, since I don’t always follow cooking directions, I’ve made crostini from a number of different breads. You’ve probably noticed in the picture that I didn’t use a baguette. Nope. I had a boule in the freezer, so that was the bread I chose. Plus, using a bigger loaf of bread allowed for bigger slices. That is quite helpful when you’re sharing your meal with your six foot tall husband with a hearty appetite. I can’t imagine how many baguette slices I’d need for him!
As you’ll see this recipe is really simple. I ask of you, the next time you want some crostini to serve with bruschetta, give this homemade version a try. Not only can you proclaim that you made it, you’ll also get to choose exactly what type of bread your crostini comes from.
- Thinly sliced bread, 1/2″ or less
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Place olive oil in small bowl.
- Brush each slice of bread with a thin coating of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with a small amount of salt.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Choose a better bread, such as a boule, baguette, or French or Italian bread.
