MUSHROOM AND FONTINA CROSTINI

MUSHROOM AND FONTINA CROSTINI image

Number Of Ingredients 11

Four 1/2-inch-thick slices of peasant bread, halved diagonally
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds white mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
3 tablespoons water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound Fontina cheese, coarsely shredded (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toast for 12 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges. Turn the broiler on. Meanwhile, thinly slice the mushrooms. In a large skillet, cook the butter over high heat until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the mushrooms and cook undisturbed until the mushrooms are browned on the bottom, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 10 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme, lower the heat to moderate and cook until the shallots are tender, 5 minutes. Add the water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then cook for 3 minutes longer. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Spoon the mushroom mixture on the toasts and sprinkle the cheese on top. Broil for 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Transfer the crostini to a platter, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.