Parmesan Crostini with Prociutto and Fig Jam

PARMESAN CROSTINI WITH PROSCIUTTO AND FIG JAM

With our upcoming class on Italian food, I thought that it might be fun to send you some of my favorite “little snacks” to serve before the dinner. Crostini take only minutes to make and are delicious starters to any Italian meal, or any meal for that matter.

Use your imagination and invent some great taste combinations from items that you have in your fridge or pantry. Be bold, be creative!

Serves 4

12 ¼ inch baguette slices

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

6 slices prosciutto, each slice cut crosswise into 4 pieces

2 tablespoons fig jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place baguette slices in single layer on a baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Divide Parmesan equally between slices. Bake until lightly toasted. 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with additional olive oil.

Top each slice with 2 prosciutto pieces; top with dollop of fig jam. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

CROSTINI WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE, ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL,

AND AGED BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Serves 8

White bean puree is so tasty and since the beans come from a can, so simple. Just be sure not to over-process the beans and leave them a little chunky for texture. Use plenty of salt and a good olive oil and you will be amazed at how good this is.

FOR THE ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing the bread

1 or 2 garlic cloves

FOR THE WHITE BEAN PUREE

1 15 ounce can of cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained

1 small garlic clove grated or minced (about ½ tea spoon)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup loosely packed arugula leaves

Aged balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Sea salt

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the rosemary olive oil, combine the olive oil and the rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to s simmer.

Lower the heat and continue to gently simmer the oil until the rosemary begins to sizzle. Turn off the heat and let the rosemary steep in the oil while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil, and bake them for 15 or 20 minutes until they are lightly toasted and golden brown. Rub the oiled side of the crostini with the garlic.

To make the white bean puree, combine the beans, 2/3 cup of the rosemary oil, garlic and kosher salt together in a large mortar or bowl and mash them with a pestle or a potato masher until they are mostly mashed but still slightly chunky.

Place a few arugula leaves on each crostini and spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the white bean puree in a generous, uneven layer over the arugula. Use the back of a small spoon to make a crater in each mound of bean puree and spoon about ½ tablespoon of the rosemary oil into the crater.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the bean puree around each crater and sprinkle the crostini with sea salt.