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Roasted Red Pepper Crostini with Ricotta Cheese

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 long Italian baguette
  • 16-ounces fresh Ricotta cheese
  • 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the baguette into ½-inch slices; squished slices will not work.
  • Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
  • Lay the slices onto a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil.
  • Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 8 - 9 minutes flipping halfway through; the crostini should be lightly browned, not too dark.
  • In the meantime, chop up the roasted red peppers and peal the garlic clove; set aside.
  • Add the salt to the ricotta cheese and thoroughly combine; set aside.
  • When the crostini are done, lightly rub the garlic clove onto one side; do this while still warm; just a few rubs across each piece is sufficient.
  • Place on a baking rack and allow to completely cool.
  • When ready to serve, add a dollop of ricotta on each slice, followed by a spoonful of the red peppers.
  • Finish with a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
  • Garnish with basil.

Notes

Common mistakes, which can make or break your crostini, so make sure not to:
  1. Cut the bread too thick
  2. Under-toast the bread
  3. Over-toast the bread
  4. Not use olive oil.
  5. Top the crostini when they are warm.
  6. Prepare the crostini too far in advance.
  7. Not let the crostini cool on a wire rack.
  8. A good crostini is crisp but will not fall apart into 1,000 pieces when you bite into it. Just make sure you don't turn it into a crouton.
Topping your crostini while it's still warm will cause it to be soggy. Also, not letting it cool on a rack will make the bottom of your bread soft which is not what we want.
Do not refrigerate or pre-bake your crostini the night before. If your planning on preparing this recipe somewhere else, bake your crostini and allow to cool completely before placing in an air tight bag. Alternatively, cut the slices ahead of time and pop in the oven when you get there. Then top with the cheese and peppers right before serving.