I don’t think I could ever get tired of crostini. There are endless flavor combinations to experiment with, and they’re just so quintessentially Italian. Plus, they’re perfect for the holidays - delicious to eat and beautiful on the table.

Serve all of the below recipes with crostini (little toasts) - Slice a baguette or other good bread into approx ½” slices. Drizzle with olive oil and a light sprinkling of kosher salt (if desired) and then broil until a light golden brown.

Crostini with Salmon & Capers

Ingredients

4oz smoked salmon
4 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp capers minced + extra for garnish
Fresh dill for garnish

Preparation - Mix the cream cheese with the minced capers (this can be adjusted depending on the saltiness of the capers.) Spread cream cheese mixture on toasts and top with slices of the salmon. Garnish with a caper and dill.

Bonus - For a lighter dish, this goes great on top of sliced cucumber. Or for a vegetarian option, replace the salmon with cucumber on the toasts :)

crostini with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto and Chèvre

Ingredients

Approx 1 large roasted red pepper (I used jarred)
4 oz Chèvre cheese
1 garlic clove
¼ cup light packed fresh basil
¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
⅛ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation - In a food processor, process all the ingredients except the Chèvre cheese until desired consistency. Spread a thin layer of the chevre cheese on toasts or crackers and top with the pesto mixture. Garnish with additional basil.

Bonus - This pesto is delicious on pasta (I like to add the Chèvre or other cheese too) or added to the bread of a grilled cheese sandwich :)

crostini with Prosciutto and Edamame & Arugula Cream Cheese

Ingredients

4oz Prosciutto
1 cup frozen shelled edamame thawed
2oz cream cheese
¼ cup finely grated pecorino cheese
2 Tbsp diced chives
2 handfuls of arugula
⅛ cup + olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation - In a food processor, process all of the ingredients except the prosciutto until desired consistency. Add additional olive oil, salt and pepper if desired (remember the prosciutto is salty.) Layer the toasts with a piece of prosciutto and then top with cream cheese mixture. Garnish with grated pecorino.

crostini with Kalamata Olive Caprese

Ingredients

4oz mozzarella cut into cubes
½ cup kalamata olives diced
1 medium tomato diced
Fresh basil julienned or torn into pieces
Olive oil
Pepper

Preparation - Mix all ingredients together gently. Top toasts and drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

Bonus - Another great one for a salad. Simply top a bed of lettuce and dress with olive oil and pepper.

crostini with Artichokes

Ingredients

1-14oz can marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup parsley
¼ toasted pecans
¼ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preparation - In a food processor, process all the ingredients until desired consistency. Adjust seasonings. Top toasts with mixture and garnish with additional pecans and parsley.