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Today, we’re happy to continue our month of simple appetizers with this trio of delicious crostini from our friend Skye McAlpine’s new cookbook, A Table in Venice. Skye actually grew up there, and loves eating these small snacks with friends, as a way to tide everyone over until dinner. Easy to make and even easier to devour, they’re an instant crowd-pleaser. Here’s how to make them…
Three Kinds of Crostini
From Skye McAlpine’s A Table in Venice
Serves 4-6
Crostini are nothing more than rough slices of crusty bread, usually baguette, topped with whatever you fancy. They’re probably the most popular kind of cicheti [or small snacks], and you will see them piled high on the countertop at every Venetian bacaro. This is not really a matter of cooking — more just simple assembling a few choice ingredients, whatever is in season or in the larder. Here are a few of my favorite flavor combinations…
Crostini with Ricotta, Honey and Figs
Crostini con fichi, ricotta e miele
You’ll need:
1 small loaf of crusty white bread, such as baguette or ciabatta
1/2 cup ricotta
8 fresh figs, halved
2 tablespoons good-quality thin honey
A generous pinch of Maldon or kosher salt
Cut the bread into thick, rough slices and top with a generous chunk of ricotta. Arrange the figs over the cheese. You can stem and peel the figs if you prefer, though I am partial to the rich hues and texture of the skins [it’s all edible], so I don’t usually bother. Drizzle liberally with the honey and sprinkle with salt just before serving.
Crostini with Mortadella and Pistachios
Crostini con mortadella e pistachio
You’ll need:
1 small loaf of crusty white bread, such as baguette or ciabatta
4 oz thinly sliced mortadella
A handful of pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
Cut the bread into thick, rough chunks. Arrange a couple slices of mortadella on the bread, then sprinkle the pistachios over the meat.
Crostini with Burrata and Pomegranate
Crostini con burrata e melograno
You’ll need:
1 small loaf of crusty white bread, such as baguette or ciabatta
1 burrata cheese
1 pomegranate
1 tbsp olive oil
A generous pinch of Maldon or kosher salt
Cut the bread into thick, rough slices. Tear open the burrata and spoon the creamy middle onto the bread. Roughly roll the pomegranate around on a hard surface to loosen its seeds. Score around the middle of the fruit with a sharp knife, then tear it open with your hands. Hold one half over a bowl and tap forcefully with a wooden spoon, squeezing a little to remove the seeds. Use a teaspoon, if need be, to scoop the rest of the seeds out. Repeat with the remaining half. Sprinkle the ruby-red seeds over the cheese, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Skye also told us an insider tip for going to Venice restaurants: “Instead of choosing a dish from the menu, ask your server what he or she thinks you should eat. They’ll often have a whole different set of dishes that aren’t on the menu that they’ll give to people who ask. Maybe they have some perfect asparagus, but not enough for every guest; they’ll make that for you. Many Venetian restaurants are almost like an extension of a home kitchen.”
Thank you so much, Skye! Your new cookbook is beautiful.
P.S. More delicious recipes, including peach and tomato panzanella and monochromatic fruit salad.
(Reprinted from A Table in Venice: Recipes From My Home. Copyright © 2018 by Skye McAlpine. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Skye McAlpine. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Thanks to Franny Eremin for helping with this series.)
