Regular sandwiches aren’t my thing. But give me an open slice of baguette or ciabatta with some toppings and I can’t resist. I often end up eating this sort of thing as a light dinner as not only is it quick to make but so satisfying too.
My current favourite open style sandwiches are these mushroom and cheese crostini. Oozing with gooey, melty cheese combined with the earthy flavour of mushrooms and the crispy bread… what’s not to love? The little sprinkling of tarragon adds even more flavour but this can be replaced with any herb you love.
To stick to the Italian flavours, I went for taleggio cheese. But if you can’t get this, replace with any cheese that melts easily like cheddar, emmental or brie. That’s the best part of crostini – you can be as creative and varied in your toppings as you like.
Mushroom and Cheese Crostini
Ingredients:
1-2 cloves of garlic chopped finely (depending on how garlicky you like it)
150gms small button mushrooms (if they’re big, cut them in half)
taleggio cheese
ciabatta or baguette
tarragon
1 tbs olive oil + extra to drizzle on your bread slices
small knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a frying pan on a medium heat with the olive oil and butter. Add the chopped garlic and stir for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and give everything a stir. Once the mushrooms are cooked, take the pan off the heat and add a couple of teaspoons of chopped tarragon.
Slice and toast your ciabatta or baguette under a grill till it’s crisp and lightly golden. Drizzle a little olive oil on to your ciabatta slices. Top the bread with thick slices of taleggio and place under the grill again. Once the cheese has melted, spoon the mushrooms on top and place under the grill for 30 seconds to heat up the mushrooms. Garnish with more chopped tarragon and a generous twist of salt and pepper.
Are you crostini crazy too? What’s your favourite topping?
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