Sweet meets savoury in these Strawberry and Balsamic Crostini.
It is a perfect appetizer for summer entertaining but it is also a welcome change in winter months. Thankfully strawberries are pretty easy to source all year round!
The crostini is a basic recipe. Topping it with creamy ricotta cheese will make it a bit more neutral allowing the strawberry compote to be the main flavour. I made them with homemade ricotta and they were delicious! If you want to intensify the sweet/savoury contrast then consider a plain, tangy goat cheese.
Top with a hit of the strawberry balsamic reduction and serve at room temperature!
It is pretty easy and 1 baguette will get you 15-20 crostini depending on the size of your baguette.
The strawberries reduce to a generous 1 cup of compote so go for 1.5 tsps to 1 Tbsp of topping depnding on how many crostini you have.
It is also delicious with this Honey Feta Garlic Dip. You can make it super easy and let guests top their own crostini with the Dip and Strawberries!
Strawberry Balsamic Crostini
Ingredients
Crostini
- 1 baguette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- sea salt for garnish
Strawberry Balsamic Compote
- 2 cups fresh strawberries rough chop berries and then measure the 2 cups (berries should be in about 1/8th size pieces)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot minced
- 1/2 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp honey can up to 2 tsps if you like sweet
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup ricotta cheese or goat cheese
- fresh basil for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a non stick skillet. Cook shallot about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add strawberries, thyme, cinnamon, pepper and honey. Cook over medium heat abour 5-7 minutes until berries soften and the sauce thickens.
- Add Balsamic vinegar in last 2 minutes or so. Allow sauce to thicken.
- Let mixture come to room temperature.
Crostini
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice baguette in to 1" slices.
- Brush olive oil on both sides of bread slices. Lay flat on a baking sheet. Bake 15 -20 minutes just lightly coloured (not golden). Flip slices half way through.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Allow crostini to cool.
Assembly
- Add a scant tablespoon of ricotta or goat cheese to the top of the crostini. Add 1 Tbsp of strawberry compote on top.
- Garnish with fresh slivered basil if desired.
Nutrition
