Christmas crostini

Crispy-based crostini are loved across Italy and enjoyed throughout the year. Meaning ‘little toasts’ in Italian these grilled or toasted pieces of bread were traditionally used as a base for other ingredients rather than using plates. These days, they’re loved as a snack or aperitif and toppings abound, including seasonal fare and local favourites from chicken livers, to regional cheeses, meats and chargrilled and marinated vegetables. As Christmas approaches I have combined some of my favourite festive flavours to create my own tasty crostini. I have used crisply baked granary bread as my foundation, as I find this gives some lovely texture and balance to the other ingredients – although white bread would also work well. Once cooled, the bases are spread with a rich and indulgent blue cheese cream, before being topped with caramelised pear slices – soft and hot inside, with a sweet crunchy caramel on their exterior. An ideal foil to a chilled glass of celebratory Prosecco, or crisp and dry sparkling Lambrusco.

Warm pear & blue cheese crostini

These easy crostini are a great accompaniment to Christmas drinks but they also work well as a light lunch with salad at any time of the year.

Prep time: 10 minutes (plus assembly time)
Cooking time: 10–15 minutes
Makes: 24

1 granary baguette
25g Bertolli spread
75g Dolcelatte or other creamy blue cheese
3 tbsp sour cream
2 small, ripe pears
2 tbsp caster sugar

Sprigs of watercress or other salad leaves, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Cut the bread into 24 x 1cm thick, diagonal slices and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Spread very sparingly with Bertolli. Bake for 5–10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.
2. Beat the blue cheese and sour cream together until smooth.
3. Cut each unpeeled pear into 12 thin wedges and remove the core. Dip the 24 slices into the caster sugar. Warm a non-stick frying pan or griddle over a high heat. Add the pear and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until caramelised and golden.
4. To assemble, spread the crostini with the blue cheese mixture, top with a piece of warm pear and finish with a sprig of watercress.  Sprinkle with a little black pepper, to taste, before serving warm.

Cook’s tip: If you are having a party you can make all the separate elements in advance (to the end of step 3), then assemble the crostini at the last minute.

Typical Nutrient Values per 40g Serving  Adult GDA % of an adults GDA*
Calories 76kcal 4%
Sugars 3.5g 4%
Fat 2.7g 4%
Saturates 1.2g 6%
Salt 0.38g 6%
* Based on GDAs for women

Category:

Food, Italy, Recipe, Sights & Travel

Tags:

• Christmas
• crostini
• Food
• Italian
• Italy
• Lambrusco
• Prosecco
• Recipe

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Once cooled, the bases are spread with a rich and indulgent blue cheese cream, before being topped with caramelised pear slices – soft and hot inside, with a sweet crunchy caramel on their exterior.

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