Crostinis are one of my favorite things to prepare. You may think of these as bruschettas (pronounced “broosketas” which I never figured out until I could speak italian properly!). In Italy (or Tuscany at least) bruschette are a whole slice of bread, almost a meal, often tomato and basil-based. Crostini (“little crusts”) are small, bite size snacks, perfect for parties or aperitivi (pre dinner hors d’oeuvres and cocktails – a fine tradition!). ’Tis the Christmas season and tonight I’m heading off to my kid’s violin recital, packing Leek and Gorgonzola Crostinis. I love these – they are easy, quick, impressive, and they make the house smell great! They look like a lot of trouble but they are just about impossible to mess up.
This is is the consistency of the leeks as I'm melting the gorgonzola - spreadable, not wet.
I cut up a baguette into thinnish rounds (maybe a third of an inch?) and I toast those lightly, just to give it a little crunch. I ”top & tail” two leeks, cutting off the hard part near the root, and the green parts, which are tough. Slice it in half, take off the outer layer and then rinse well as they tend to hold onto dirt. Chop roughly and then pop it in the food processor and whizz it up very thoroughly. I put that in a heavy bottomed skillet with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and then once they are starting to sizzle I add a bit of white wine. You don’t want them to turn brown. You need to keep them wet, with wine or a little stock if you prefer. You’ll cook them for about 10-15 minutes til they are soft, and then add about 50 grams (c. 3 tablespoons) of gorgonzola cheese, crumbled. Stir this in until it is melted and pretty homogeneous, and then turn off the heat. It should be a pasty consistency, for easy spreading.
Spread on the bread rounds generously and then they are ready to go in the oven. Then pop them under the grill until they are bubbling. Serve right away with prosecco.
When I make them for a party, I prefer to bring the bread and the paste and assemble them just before we need them. You can dress them up a bit more with some grated parmesan before you toast them, and/or with a small slice of pear on top before you grill it. The paste will keep in an airtight container for several days. Usually I serve more than one type of crostini at a time (more crostini recipes to come – watch this space!). These are so great and unusual, and they have really become one of my signature dishes! Sorry I didn’t get a picture of the final product at the party!
ETA: Cinzia had a look at this post this morning and said that she cooked her leeks much longer – for an entire hour. This produces a creamy texture. Just be sure to keep them wet with wine or stock so that they don’t brown. No wonder hers turn out much smoother than mine! You can try them both ways and see what you prefer.
