Bruschette & Crostini: Three Ways

Preparing Bruschette and Crostini:

For bruschetta, grill or broil substantial slicesof rustic Tuscan bread, brush with extra-virginolive oil, and sprinkle with salt. If youlike, spear a clove of garlic with one side cutand rub the cut side across the bread beforeadding the olive oil. I usually cut the bruschettein half unless it’s being served at the table,because if you’re standing up, big bruschettecan be unruly. For crostini, cut a long skinnyloaf into slices about 1/3-inch thick. Toast themor not, depending on the topping.

Roasted Tomato

This is your ace. In summer, the trio of chopped, luscious tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh herbs sings the national anthem. In winter, canned or boxed tomatoes attain a new depth of flavor during a long nap in the oven. The plump little darlings garnish a roast or, chopped, wake up a last-minute risotto or frittata. If you want heat, scatter a tablespoon of peperoncini, red pepper flakes, over the tomatoes while cooking.

Ingredients

60 or so cherry tomatoes, halved, stem ends trimmed; or 25 medium tomatoes, quartered; or 3 28-ounce cans san marzano plum tomatoes, drained, cut into quarters

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried

3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried

5 garlic cloves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

prepared bruschette or crostini

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a parchment-lined 12 x 16-inch sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil over them, scatter the herbs and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 2 hours, turning the tomatoes once.

Coarsely chop the tomatoes for bruschette, or simply press a tomato onto each crostino.

Leftover tomatoes can be packed into jars, topped with olive oil, and stored in the fridge for a week.

Grilled Red Radicchio

Small cubes of fontina or pecorino can be used with, or instead of, the prosciutto. This can be served, too, as a salad in whole leaves of the radicchio, which form pretty red cups.

Ingredients

1 head of red radicchio

2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 slices prosciutto, cut into slivers

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

prepared bruschette or crostini

Directions

Cut the radicchio head in two and put each half face down on a medium-heated grill. (You can, instead, use a 16-inch stovetop grill pan.) Let the radicchio slightly brown, 3 or 4 minutes, then turn the halves over with tongs and grill the other side for 2 or 3 minutes.

When cool, chop the radicchio and place it in a medium bowl. Douse with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and stir in the prosciutto, seasonings, and fennel seeds. Add a little more olive oil if it looks dry. Pile on the prepared bread.

Pecorino and Nut

Ingredients

Beneath the cheese and nuts, you can slip thinly sliced salami or prosciutto.

8 slices pecorino or fontina

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

prepared bruschette or crostini

Directions

Preheat the broiler.

Place a slice of pecorino and some walnuts on each piece of bread.

Run under the broiler for a couple of minutes until slightly melted.

Excerpted from The Tuscan Sun Cookbook by Frances Mayes and Edward Mayes.