Tomato Crostini Recipe 465

Steps:

• For the whipped feta, place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the cheeses are mixed. Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and process until smooth.
• For the tomatoes, up to an hour before you're serving, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and taste for seasonings.
• To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top. Put the crostini on plates and scatter with the pine nuts. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to combine. Add the diced butter and toss carefully with your fingers to coat each piece of butter with flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, until the butter is the size of peas. While pulsing, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Pulse to combine, stopping just before the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and form it into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Heat the 4 tablespoons butter in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the leeks, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and sauté for 8 minutes, until the leeks are tender and starting to brown. Set aside. Place the tomatoes on a plate, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Set aside.
• On a floured board, roll the dough into an 11-inch circle, then place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn a sheet pan upside down and transfer the paper to the inverted pan. Spread the leeks on the pastry, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Crumble the goat cheese evenly on top. Arrange the tomatoes over the goat cheese, overlapping the slices because they will shrink. Turn the edges of the pastry up and over the tomatoes, crimping so they lie flat. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is nicely browned. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, sprinkle lightly with the fresh herbs and salt, cut in wedges and serve warm.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Place bread on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush 2 tablespoons of the oil on bread. Bake 4 to 5 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Mix tomatoes, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic, cheese, basil and salt. Place about 1 tablespoon tomato mixture on each warm bread slice.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine tomatoes, basil leaves, olive oil, and red-wine vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Top crostini with topping.

Steps:

• Heat a grill or grill pan or preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread on grill or on a baking sheet in the oven; toast until golden on both sides, turning once. Transfer to a serving platter, and lightly brush one side of each slice with oil.
• Roughly chop or slice tomatoes, and place in a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add basil and chervil, and drizzle with the oil and vinegar. Gently toss again. To serve, spoon tomato mixture over bread, and garnish with basil sprigs.

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:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Place the tomatoes cut-side up in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and the thyme. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until the tomatoes are very soft and slightly shrunken.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Rub the crostini with garlic and top each with a roasted tomato.

Steps:

• Tear the 3 thick slices of Italian bread into small 1-inch chunks and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the red wine vinegar and toss to coat the bread and allow to soak for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, add the tomato paste and mix in 2 tablespoons of warm water to dilute. Set aside.
• Into the bowl of a food processor, add the capers, garlic, parsley and olive oil until you get a coarse chop. Add the soaked bread and tomato paste and mix until all the garlic is finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spread the mixture onto the toasted crostini slices and serve.