Once upon a time, there was a handsome Rustic Bread, who lived in a French bakery. The Bread really liked the bakery, especially the nice big oven where he would sit and warm up his feet until his toes would start dancing around. The bakery was a magical place. It was full of delightful aromas, big trays of  vanilla cream éclairs, buttery croissants and long crunchy baguettes. The Rustic Bread was given the prime spot in the bakery, he was placed on a high wooden shelf, neatly lined with a soft cloth where he would sit comfortably and observe all the customers who came to the bakery.

Not long after he made his way to the shelf,  a girl in a coat with the color of a fall leaf came to the bakery. She looked around and her eyes stopped on the Rustic Bread. She liked his dark brown coat and his big soft heart and asked if she could take him home. The Rustic Bread jumped in her bag and their journey began.

The girl’s home was smaller than the bakery, but it was bright and sunny, in fact it was so sunny that the Rustic Bread thought of it as a giant sunflower. Soon after he arrived, the Rustic Bread was introduced to a group of new friends; the wise lemony Ricotta, the cheerful Cherry Tomatoes, the classy Prosciutto, the good hearted Honey, the handsome Basil and the friendly familia of Bella Mushrooms. Everyone liked the Rustic Bread and he developed special friendships with each of them. If he felt like having a glass of wine, the Rustic Bread would call the lemony Ricotta, the bursting with life Tomatoes and the handsome Basil. Four of them (plus the latter addition of the thick accented Kalamata Olive) would get together and a bottle of wine will not be enough to share all their stories and laughs. The Bread also liked having long conversations about life with the wise Ricotta and good hearted Honey. But nothing could replace his weekend visits with the Bella Mushroom familia - there was something special about them that touched the Bread’s heart. Last but not least, the Rustic Bread liked the refined company of the classy Prosciutto and the beautiful Basil, who would sit around the fireplace and discuss art, fashion and music with a great passion and devotion. But above all, what the Rustic Bread enjoyed the most was when all of his friends gathered together. They would talk, tell stories, sing, dance, laugh – simply be happy to be around each other. After all that is what friendship is all about – a good circle of big hearted creatures who love each other for who they are.

The end.

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This is a story of friendship and today’s recipe is about food that is meant to be shared with friends. As every one of our friends is unique and different, so is each of the Crostini. Each one is perfect on its own, but together they create a special group. Try them all and let me know which ones are your favorites. I don’t want to spoil the surprise before you try them, but just a hint – I prefer red wine. 

Rustic Crostini

Serves 6-8 (when making all Crostini)

Ingredients:

Ricotta and roasted cherry tomatoes Crostini
• 1/2 loaf thick crusted rustic bread, sliced with each slice cut in half
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes (I used mixed blend)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta❤  
• 1/4 cups whole Kalamata olives❤❤
• 1 clove garlic, whole
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• Coarse sea salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• Handful of fresh basil leaves

Ricotta and honey Crostini
• 1/2 loaf thick crusted Rustic bread, sliced with each slice cut in half
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta❤
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/2 lemon, zested

Prosciutto and roasted cherry tomatoes Crostini
• 1/2 loaf thick crusted rustic bread, sliced with each slice cut in half
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes (I used mixed blend)
• 4-oz. prosciutto
• 1 clove garlic, whole
• Coarse sea salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• Handful of fresh basil leaves

Mushroom Crostini
• 1/2 loaf thick crusted rustic bread, sliced with each slice cut in half
• 10-oz. baby bella (crimini) mushrooms
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• Coarse sea salt
• Pepper

❤ If possible, buy hand dipped ricotta. It has creamier and velvety texture. Regular supermarket ricotta has a chalky and rubbery consistency and it has a higher water content. Hand dipped ricotta can be found in most organic food stores and co-ops.

❤❤ Whole olives (with the pits) are richer and more complex in flavor compared to pitted olives. To remove the pit, firmly press the olive with the flat side of  a knife, the olive will soften and the pit will be exposed. 

Directions:

1. Mix the ricotta cheese, lemon zest and a dash of salt in a large bowl. Set aside (do not refrigerate if using right away).
   

2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
   

3. Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray and add a liberal amount of olive oil (about 3 tablespoons), salt and pepper. Toss with your hands until the tomatoes are coated evenly. Spread on the tray and bake for 1 hour.
   

4. Meanwhile, brush off the dirt form the mushrooms (mushrooms absorb a lot of water, brushing them with a soft kitchen brush instead of rinsing them it prevents them from becoming soggy). Chop the mushrooms roughly. Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Do not overcrowd the mushrooms, otherwise they will not brown evenly (do them in batches, if necessary). Stir the mushrooms frequently and cook until evenly brown (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped shallot and cook for about a minute. Then add the white wine and thyme and cook for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
   

5. Toast the bread in a toaster, grill or oven broiler until the edges are brown (about 2 minutes). Do not make more than 8-10 toasts at the same time (the warmer the bread, the better). When ready, immediately rub a garlic clove (tip cut off to expose the juices) on one side of the bread and drizzle some olive oil. Omit the garlic and olive oil for the ricotta and honey version.
   

6. For the ricotta and roasted cherry tomatoes Crostini: Top toasts with ricotta cheese and arrange 3-4 tomatoes, 2-3 Kalamata olive halves, crack some black pepper, a few torn pieces of basil leaves and drizzle a bit more olive oil.
   

7. For the ricotta and honey Crostini: Top toasts with ricotta, sprinkle a few toasted walnuts and drizzle some honey.
   

8. For the prosciutto and roasted cherry tomatoes Crostini: Top toasts with a few pieces of prosciutto, 3-4 tomatoes, crack some black pepper and add a few torn pieces of basil leaves.
   

9. For the mushroom Crostini: Top toasts with the warm mushroom mix.