My family loves crostini! It’s such a great appetizer and you can put just about anything you like in the filling under the melted mozzarella cheese slices. We like lots of basil!
In a great song that talks about home and family in the context of a recipe, check out Dean Martin singing “Memories are Made of This.”
Ingredients
- 2 baguette loaves (white or wheat), sliced in 1/4 inch slices at an angle
- 1/3 cup dry basil
- 6-ounce can of medium black olives, sliced
- 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 pound mozzarella (not fresh)
Instructions
- Cut loaves as directed.
- Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place bread slices in one layer very close together--even touching! Set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine basil, olives, tomatoes, and onion. Set aside.
- Cut mozzarella into 1/8 inch slices. Set aside.
- Put the oven rack on the second highest groove in the oven. Turn broiler on high and place baking sheet with bread slices in oven. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until crispy and almost golden brown.
- Remove from oven and flip bread slices. Put olive oil in a shallow bowl. Dip the back of a spoon in the oil and swipe on top side of bread slices just flipped. One dip usually can spread on 2 or 3 slices.
- Broil on high for 2 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Using a 1/3 cup scoop, place a dollop of the basil mixture on each slice of bread. It can be messy, so use your fingers to press the mixture so it stays on the slices of bread.
- Place a slice of mozzarella on top of the mixture on each slice of bread.
- Broil again for 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and serve immediately.