To make the crostini, bake sliced ciabatta in oven on 100ºC for 2.5 hours. They keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container.
Roast beef with chipotle mayonnaise
Ready in 15 minutes. Serves 16
250g crème fraïche
4 teaspoons chipotle sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly cracked pepper
250g fillet steak
1 teaspoon each: olive oil, butter
16 crostini slices
1 chargrilled red capsicum, cut into 16 thin slices
flaky sea salt
½ tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Method
In a small bowl mix together the crème fraïche, chipotle sauce, parsley and salt. Set aside.
Season steak well with salt and pepper. Place a small frying pan on high heat with oil and butter. When sizzling, carefully place fillet into pan. Cook and turn meat to seal on all sides and ends. Reduce heat to medium. Cover pan with a lid and cook for 7 minutes, turning occasionally for medium rare. Remove from pan, cover with foil and leave to cool. Slice very thinly into about 16 pieces.
Spread a small amount of chipotle mayonnaise on each crostini, top with a slice of beef, a slice of capsicum and a sprinkle of flaky salt and chopped parsley.
Caprese
Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 12
227g container fresh mozzarella
1½ avocados
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
12 crostini slices
basil leaves, to garnish
Method
- Slice mozzarella, avocado and cherry tomatoes. Place avocado on the bread, followed by the cheese and tomatoes. Top with fresh basil.
Caramelised onion and blue cheese
Ready in 5 minutes plus cooking time for caramelised onion. Serves 12
50g butter
500g small red onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
12 crostini slices
150g Blue Castello, sliced
6 figs, finely sliced
Method
Melt butter in a large frying pan on medium heat. When sizzling, add onions, then reduce heat. Cook for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not let them burn), until soft and reduced.
Add vinegar and brown sugar. Stir until combined and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container until required. (Onions can be prepared 3 days in advance.)
Spread onions over crostini and top with a slice of blue cheese and half a fig.
Smoked Salmon
Ready in 8 minutes. Serves 12
125g cream cheese, chopped
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
12 crostini slices
12 slices of cold-smoked salmon
fresh dill and capers, to garnish
Method
- Blend cream cheese, capers, dill and juice in a food processor. Spread over crostini and top with smoked salmon, fresh dill and capers.
Cheese and grapes
Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 12
150g White Castello, sliced
24 red grapes, quartered or sliced
12 crostini slices
Method
- Place cheese slices on crostini and top with sliced grapes.
Smashed minted peas with proscuitto
Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 14
3 cups frozen minted peas
2 tablespoons each: olive oil, butter, grated parmesan, chopped mint and lemon juice
salt
14 crostini slices
7 slices of prosciutto, halved
14 small slices of parmesan
mint leaves, to garnish
Method
Boil peas as per packet instructions. Drain. Add oil, butter, parmesan, mint and lemon juice to peas and crush with a potato masher until roughly smashed. Stir until combined. Season with salt.
Spread smashed peas onto crostini and top with prosciutto and parmesan. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.
Ricotta and sticky pear
Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 12
8 teaspoons butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 pear, halved, cored and cut into 24 thin slices
4 teaspoons lemon juice
125g ricotta
12 crostini slices
24 walnuts, halved and toasted
Method
Place a large frying pan on medium heat with butter and sugar. Stir to melt. Add pear slices and coat in butter mixture. Sprinkle over lemon juice and sauté for about 5 minutes or until just soft. Remove from heat to cool. Store with syrup in an airtight container in the fridge.
To assemble, spread a heaped teaspoon of ricotta onto crostini and top with pear slices, walnuts and a drizzle of syrup.
These recipes first appeared in Food magazine issue 80.
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