How to Make Crostini - Love and Lemons (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep crostini from getting hard? ›

Hard crostini can hurt the roof of your mouth, plus they crumble too easily, falling apart at the first bite. To avoid hard crostini, don't overcook the bread slices. They should be crisp on the outside edges but still just slightly tender in the middle.

The Best Bread for Crostini

A baguette is ideal for crostini, its small surface area is just the right size for these appetizer toasts. Or use a long Italian loaf. The bread doesn't have to be fresh—you're going to dry it out in the oven—so if you have a day-old baguette use it!

The main difference between these two toasts is that crostini is often thinly sliced, while bruschetta is usually served in thicker slices and drizzled with olive oil before it's toasted. The standard topping is diced tomato mixed with olive oil, garlic and Italian herbs—delicious, but a little boring.

Texture is very important–it shouldn't be too dense. The bread needs to be thin enough to bite, but thick enough to support toppings -1/2-inch thick is just right. Brush olive oil on each piece before toasting it.

The bread can be toasted a few hours in advance of serving. I would not recommend adding the toppings until 10-15 minutes before serving. This way, the bread won't get soggy from the toppings. If you are planning a party where guests will be arriving at different times, you can always make a crostini bar.

Choose a loaf of Italian bread, such as ciabatta, for a more traditional bruschetta. This recipe uses slices of French bread, like a baguette. Slice the bread on the diagonal at least ¼-inch thick or more to make an oval shape.

Crostini: Meaning "little toasts" in Italian, crostini are small, thin slices of toasted bread, which are usually brushed with olive oil. The word also describes canapés consisting of small slices of toast with a savory topping such as cheese, shrimp, pâté or anchovies.

Both are cut from a loaf of bread and toasted. However: Melba toast is toasted dry, saving calories. Crostini are brushed with olive oil, and can be thicker than Melba toast.

Each crostini: 36 calories; 99 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.30 gram fiber. Arrange toasted bread on broiler pan or baking sheet.

Traditional Crostini are Italian appetizers topped with a variety of different cheeses, meats, and vegetables. Crostini originated in Medieval times when Italian peasants would eat their meals on slices of bread instead of using plates.

How do you keep toasted bread from getting hard? ›

A toast rack is the perfect way to do this, but you can also just prop the slices against each other like a little tent. You may also consider wrapping your deli-meats and any salad items separately and only adding them to your sandwich when you are ready to eat.

(If you have stale sliced bread you are better off making toast, crostini or bruschetta.) Spread the stale snacks out on a cookie sheet and place in a 350o F oven. Let them bake for about 10 minutes and then remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled the snacks should be crispy and refreshed.

A lower oven temperature will help rehydrate the loaf without drying it out. Hold the loaf of bread under a running faucet and cover the exterior in hot or cold water—the temperature doesn't matter. The drier the loaf, the more water you should use.