Giadas Gorgonzola Crostini Recipes

Steps:

• For the sun-dried tomato jam:
• Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the crostini:
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Place the baguette slices on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.
• Place the soft goat cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the thyme.
• To assemble:
• Spread the crostini with sun-dried tomato jam and top with the goat cheese and herb mixture. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread slices. Grill the bread until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
• Stir the goat cheese, ricotta cheese, basil, lemon peel, and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Toast in oven until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle Gorgonzola on baguette slices. Sprinkle nuts over each. Drizzle each slice lightly with honey.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Lay the baguette slices out on a straight-sided baking sheet. Brush each slice of baguette with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with salt and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the crostini from the tray and set aside to cool.
• While the crostini bake, combine the mascarpone, chives and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F.
• On the same baking sheet, combine the mushrooms, red grapes, thyme leaves, shallots, olive oil and salt. Toss well to coat and combine. Roast until the mushrooms are beginning to brown and the grapes have released some of their juices, 8 to 10 minutes Scrape the contents of the tray into a medium bowl and toss with the sherry vinegar. Cool to room temperature.
• To serve, spread each crostini with equal amounts of the mascarpone mixture. Spoon a small amount of the mushroom mixture on top of each crostini. Top each with one shaving of Parmesan.

Steps:

• For the confit: In a high-sided skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions, apple slices, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and apples are very soft, about 50 minutes.
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with oil and bake until lightly golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the gorgonzola squares on top of the warm toasts. Spoon the confit on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with chopped thyme and serve.
• Cook's Note: Freeze the gorgonzola for 20 minutes for easier slicing.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.
• Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and stir until they dissolve, about 3 minutes. Stir in the herbs, garlic, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper.
• Arrange the bread slices on a large baking sheet. Brush with the anchovy mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, about 10 minutes. Cut the bread slices in halves and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted on 1 side.
• Mash crumbled Gorgonzola and 1 tablespoon butter in small bowl until smooth. Spread Gorgonzola mixture evenly over untoasted side of baguette slices. Top with figs. Drizzle oil over figs. Broil until Gorgonzola mixture bubbles around edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer crostini to platter and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes.
• Remove the bread from the oven.
• Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
• Transfer the crostini to a serving plate.
• Sprinkle fresh basil over and serve immediatley.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush them with olive oil.
• Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
• Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel.
• Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste. (I use kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper).
• Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini.
• Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The crostini and cheese mixture can each be prepared 2 days ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture. Let the cheese mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour to soften slightly before spreading over the crostini.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly brush the baguette slices with oil. Toast in the oven until the baguette slices are golden, about 8 minutes. (You can toast the baguette slices 1 day ahead. Cool, then store them at room temperature in an airtight container.) Toss the gorgonzola with walnuts in a small bowl. Spoon the cheese mixture onto the baguette slices and press slightly to adhere. Return the baking sheet to the over and bake until the cheese melts, about 8 minutes. Arrange the crostini on a platter. Top each with a slice of fig, if desired. Drizzle with honey and serve warm.