Neapolitan Crostini Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast until light golden brown on both sides. While still hot, rub each slice with a garlic clove to impart a delicate flavor.
• In a bowl, mix the ricotta, black pepper, and oregano and smear casually over each bread slice. Top each with an anchovy fillet and return to the cookie sheet. Broil until cheese just oozes, about a minute. Arrange on a serving platter, drizzle with olive oil and serve.
• Anchovies
• Whenever anchovies are called for in my recipes, the quantity is given as a number of fillets - preferably taken from fresh anchovies you have marinated yourself (see Alici Marinati ), which yield two fillets each. If prepackaged anchovies must be used, however, be aware that they come in one acceptable - and one despicable - form. Salt-packed anchovies that come in a 1- or 2-kilo can are available in Italian delis and are sold whole. Order them by the quarter-pound, take them home, soak them in either water or milk, then remove the fillets. Least desirable are the tiny cans of salty prefilleted anchovies packed in oil. This is not to say all brands of canned fillets are not very good, but most aren't, so use one of the other types if you can.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on two large rimmed baking sheets; brush both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes (if undersides are not browning, turn crostini over once during baking). Let cool on baking sheets. Top crostini with desired toppings, and serve.

Steps:

• Cut the tomatoes in half through the core and squeeze gently to extract the seeds and juice. Trim away the core. Chop the tomatoes into half inch pieces and toss them in a bowl with the oregano, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 450°. Oil a large roasting pan. Arrange the bread slices on the pan. Toast the bread 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, but leave it turned on. Place a slice of mozzarella on top of each piece of bread and then an anchovy. Spoon a little of the tomato on each. Drizzle with a few drops extra virgin olive oil. Return the pan to the oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted.