Topped with a choice of radicchio and mozzerella, pea, broad bean and ricotta or cherry and goat’s cheese- mixed cheese crostini are little bites of Venetian heaven.
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Ingredients
For the bases
- Long, thin baguette
- Halved garlic cloves
Radicchio and mozzarella
- 1 radicchio
- Plug of olive oil
- Juice of ½-1 lemon
- Pieces of buffalo mozzarella
- Extra-virgin olive oil, season
Pea, broad bean and ricotta
- 2 handfuls of blanched peas
- 1 handful of double-podded broad beans
- 4 tbsp ricotta
- 15g grated parmesan
- Grated zest of ½ lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Tiny basil leaves
Cherry and goat’s cheese
- Hard goat’s cheese
- 20-25 ripe cherries
- A little clear honey
- Thyme leaves
- Sea salt
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Method
For the bases
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Slice a long, thin baguette into 1cm slices, then put on a wire rack in the oven.
- Bake for 6-7 minutes until almost completely crisp (the centres should be a bit chewy), then remove from the oven and rub each with the cut side of halved garlic cloves.
- Leave to cool completely on the wire rack.
Radicchio and mozzarella
- Separate the leaves from 1 radicchio and halve any large ones lengthways (leave smaller leaves whole).
- Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan, then wilt the radicchio leaves (don’t crowd them) in the pan for 30 seconds or so on each side until soft, floppy and lightly charred in places.
- Remove to a plate, season with salt and drizzle with the juice of ½-1 lemon. Put the warm leaves on the bases with pieces of buffalo mozzarella (you’ll need 150g).
- Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season, then serve.
Pea, broad bean and ricotta
- Put 2 handfuls of blanched peas and 1 handful of double-podded broad beans (about 2 handfuls in their skins) in a food processor (reserving some for decoration) with 4 tbsp ricotta, 15g grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), the grated zest of ½ lemon and a large pinch of salt. Whizz to combine, then pour in extra-virgin olive oil to give a coarse houmous consistency.
- Spread it over the bases, then top with the reserved peas, broad beans and tiny basil leaves.
- Drizzle with more oil, squeeze over some lemon juice, then serve.
Cherry and goat’s cheese
- Top the crostini bases with shavings of hard goat’s cheese (I used a cheese called testun al barolo, available from good delis. You could use a young pecorino; you’ll need 300g).
- Halve and stone 20-25 ripe cherries, then place on top of the cheese and drizzle with a little clear honey.
- Scatter with thyme leaves and sea salt to serve.
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