RICK'S BASIC CROSTINI RECIPE | EPICURIOUS.COM

Rick's Basic Crostini Recipe | Epicurious.com image

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Rick Tramonto's book Fantastico! What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta? In general, crostini are more sophisticated and smaller. The bread slices for my crostini are about two inches across and thinner than those for bruschetta. When topped with great flavors, they fit the definition of a powerful tiny bite that by virtue of their size are less overwhelming than bruschetta. Crostini are always toasted, never grilled, and when you make them with the best, freshest bread available and sweet creamery butter, they become the ultimate garlic toasts. I pile everything on them under the Tuscan sun, even scrambled eggs at breakfast.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves
Pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) high-quality salted butter, softened
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cracked black pepper
Eight 1/4-inch-thick slices baguette

Steps:

On a cutting board, finely chop the garlic and sprinkle the salt over it. Keep chopping and smashing the garlic and salt together to make a paste. Use a wide-bladed knife so you can smear the paste along its flat side. You can also do this with a mortar and pestle.
In a small bowl, mix the butter, lemon juice, and garlic paste. Fold the softened butter over and onto the garlic mixture, mashing it down with the back of a spoon or spatula. Season to taste with pepper and continue folding.
Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Scrape the butter onto the plastic and use the plastic wrap to shape butter into a log, encased in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. If not using within 3 days, you can freeze the garlic butter for up to 2 months. Let the butter soften before using.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Lay the bread on a baking sheet and brush both sides with garlic butter. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown but not too crispy. Let cool before using.
Good Butter
The difference between really good butter and all other butter lies with the butterfat content of the cream, which depends in large part on the cows and how the cream is handled before it is churned into butter. The best butter from Europe is made from raw or cultured cream and, particularly that made from raw cream, might not be imported to the United States. But never fear: At American companies such as the Vermont Butter & Cheese Company, the butter is made from high-grade cream (a high butterfat content) that is cultured and then churned. The butter is rich and flavorful and when it's salted, its salt content is significantly lower than typical salted butter. This is what I use in my crostini recipes, so depending on the salted butter you choose, you may not need to add any salt. As with all ingredients for these recipes, choose the best butter you can. It pays off in terms of taste.