Zesty Garlic Crostini Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush tops with 3 tablespoons oil.
• Stir together remaining tablespoon oil, cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each slice with about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture, mounding it slightly.
• Bake until topping just starts to melt, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and kosher salt to taste. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Slice 1/2-inch off the pointed end of the garlic bulb to expose each clove. Place garlic on aluminum foil. Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the top of each bulb and let it sink into the cloves.
• Wrap foil around garlic bulbs and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until exposed cloves are golden brown.
• In a dry saute pan over medium-high heat, toast pine nuts for approximately 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Toast baguette slices in oven or toaster oven.
• To serve, place garlic, cheese, pine nuts and parsley on a serving plate along side crostinis. Instruct guests to extract individual garlic cloves from bulb with a small fork, spread on toast, and top with goat cheese, pine nuts and parsley leaves.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the garlic in a roasting pan and drizzle on the olive oil. Toss to coat thoroughly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the garlic bulbs are very tender but not overly brown. Test by carefully giving a bulb a gentle squeeze while protecting your hand with a folded kitchen towel or an oven glove. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• 2. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each head of garlic crosswise in half, midway between its leaf and root ends, to expose all the cloves inside. Their pulp will be golden brown and as soft as butter. You can squeeze it out of each half by hand or scoop it out with a small spoon or knife. Transfer the roasted garlic to a small bowl, pour in any olive oil from the baking dish, and stir and mash with a fork to form a smooth purée. You'll have 1/3 to 1/2 cup of purée, depending on the size of the garlic heads.
• 3. To make the Roasted Garlic Crostini, preheat the oven to 375° F. Brush the bread slices with the olive oil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake them until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Spread the puréed roasted garlic evenly on the tops of the crostini. Top the crostini with any of the options listed above, or make an assortment. Spread some with 1 tablespoon each of goat cheese; then decorate the cheese with strips of roasted bell pepper or a mixture of sun-dried tomato strips and capers, or a smear of tapenade. In place of the goat cheese, top others with diced tomato tossed with some fresh basil, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar; with prosciutto and Parmesan cheese; with anchovy fillets and freshly ground black pepper; or with slices of Roma tomato and fresh mozzarella, topped with fresh basil leaves.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Brush dressing onto both sides of baguette slices; place in single layer on baking sheet.
• Bake 7 to 10 min. or until edges are golden brown, turning after 4 min. Cool.
• Rub edges of toast slices with garlic.

Steps:

• Mix olive oil and minced garlic in a heat-proof measuring cup. Microwave at half power for 30 seconds. Set aside.
• Note: depending on the size of your baguette, you may have to double the garlic oil ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 375*. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice the baguette, on the diagonal, into 1/4" to 1/2" thick slices.
• Using a pastry brush lightly wipe both sides of the bread slices with garlic oil. Arrange on the baking sheet.
• Sprinkle (one side only), lightly with kosher salt and black pepper (if using).
• Bake for 10 minutes. Turn slices over and continue to bake for another 5 - 10 minutes or until golden in colour and crispy. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the slices and the amount of garlic oil used.
• Remove from the baking sheet and let cool in a single layer on a cooling rack.
• You can use these immediately, or allow to cool completely for storage in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Slice the baguette crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
• In a small bowl, stir together the butter, olive oil, and chopped garlic. Spread the butter mixture onto each slice of the bread. Place the slices onto a cookie sheet buttered side up.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted, and hard.

Steps:

• Trim tip off garlic head to expose cloves; place head on piece of foil.
• Drizzle oil over top; wrap in foil.
• Bake in 400°F oven until cloves are softened and caramelized, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, toast baguette slices on baking sheet in 400°F oven until golden, about 8 minutes.
• Spread pine nuts on small baking sheet; toast alongside baguette slices until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• To serve, arrange baguette slices, garlic, pine nuts, goat cheese and parsley on serving plate.
• Using small fork, remove 2 roasted cloves from garlic bulb; spread on baguette slice.
• Top with goat cheese round, pine nuts and parsley.

Steps:

• Mix the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl and brush lightly on both sides of the bread slices. Grill for 15 to 20 seconds on each side, until nicely marked, then remove with tongs and set aside. For broiling, position the rack so the slices are 2 inches from the flame and turn when the crostini starts to blacken at the edges.