Summer is in full swing, and that means cookouts, barbecues, and parties on the patio. All that entertaining can be daunting, and while you can certainly stick to cheese and wine, why not serve the humble crostini? The Italian dish of toasted bread topped with just about anything is the perfect party food: it has a quick prep time, can be customized to whatever’s in your fridge (ahem, cheese), and is easy to eat with one hand (preferably while the other holds a glass of wine). Though crostini is typically eaten as an appetizer, serve several variations and it can be an incredibly simple way to feed a crowd.
Sunday Suppers wowed us with their striking version of the dish, topped with crème fraîche and roasted red cabbage. With only five ingredients, it comes together in a snap: simply roast the cabbage, toast the bread, and assemble! The beautiful color of the dish makes for a presentation that tastes as good it looks. You can certainly use store-bought crème fraîche, but with a little advanced prep it’s very simple to make your own.
Want more variations on this rustic dish? Start with the basics and pair your cheese of choice with the right bread. Or try crostini recipes like Camembert, speck, and fresh peach crostini, blue cheese and mushroom crostini, or burrata broccoli rabe, and prosciutto crostini. Be sure to share a picture of your crostini creations with us on Facebook and Twitter!
Photo by Sunday Suppers
Alicia Hahn
Alicia Hahn excels at eating and enjoys writing, crosswords, and cooking (preferably with cheese). Originally from San Francisco, she moved to Boston for school and fell in love with the city (despite an annual campaign against winter). Her favorite place to be is the farmers’ market, where she finds weird and exciting ingredients to make or break her next meal.
