Crostini with vegetables and cheese

Crostini- Bite-sized toasted bread with vegetables and cheese topping.

Crostini means ‘little crusts’ in Italian. Crostini are an Italian appetizer consisting of small slices of grilled or toasted bread and various toppings.

Crostini are the perfect party appetizer. You can top them with whatever ingredients sound delicious, whether they are sweet, spicy or even a fruit. A Crostini is usually buttered or brushed with olive oil before topping it. Choosing topping ingredients with contrasting colors gives the Crostini an attractive look, you can also sprinkle some fresh parsley on the buttered Crostini- it tastes awesome!😋

These tiny bite-sized Crostini are a great appetizer with a drink. I made these with baguette and chose colorful vegetables, flavorful herbs as toppings. You can make these Crostini very healthy by using multi grain loaf and you can even avoid cheese if you want.

Costini are super easy to make at home, just follow the detailed, step by step recipe posted below👇☺

Course: Snack/appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Serve: 8

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 baguette or 1 loaf ciabatta bread

½ green bell pepper

½ red bell pepper

½ yellow bell pepper

4 to 5 baby corn

1 medium size onion

1&½ tablespoon tomato ketchup

½ teaspoon pizza seasoning

¼ teaspoon dry oregano

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

Finley chopped parsley

4 to 5 minced garlic cloves

Grated mozzarella cheese

1&½ tablespoon butter

½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt to taste

How to make Crostini:

• Cut the bell peppers, baby corn and onion into thin strips lengthwise.
• Cut the Baguette into 8 thin slices.
• Place butter in a small bowl, add dry oregano (hand crushed), minced garlic, fresh and finely chopped parsley and mix well.
• Apply this butter mixture evenly on each slice on both the sides.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Wrap a baking tray with aluminium foil, arrange all slices in this baking tray and toast the slices for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a frying pan heat ½ tablespoon olive oil, next add ¼ tablespoon minced garlic, chopped onion, chopped bell Peppers, baby corns, finely chopped parsley, pizza seasoning, dry oregano, tomato ketchup, black pepper and toss them nicely.
• Add ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar and again toss the vegetables, sauté them for a minute. Do not overcook the vegetables after all they will go into the oven.
• Turn off the flame, add salt, mix properly and let the topping cool a little.
• Take out the slices from the oven.
• Now top the veggie mixture on each slice.
• Next add grated mozzarella cheese and finish off with a sprinkle of pizza seasoning and black pepper on to the top.
• Now Crostini are ready to go into the oven, bake for 5-6 minutes at 180°C.
• Crostini are ready to serve. Serve hot.☺

Recipe Note:

• You can also try dried parsley in place of fresh parsley.
• You can also use courgette (zucchini), cherry tomatoes, carrots, olives and pickled jalapenos.