Crostini, means “little toasts” in Italian. They are thin slices of bread grilled or toasted with a variety of toppings and served as an appetizer. Normally crostini are brushed with oil and topped with meats, cheeses or vegetables, but in this case, I wanted to take a summer spin on them and liven them up!
My Dad loves his sweets, but the next best thing he loves (if not just as much) is bread and butter! I couldn’t think of a better way to spoil my Dad this Father’s Day but to make homemade bread for him and slather it in brown butter topped with fresh fruit, cheese, herbs, and yes, more brown butter! I love the twist on these brown butter crostini with the rich, nutty flavour of butter, the sweetness of fresh fruit and the earthy hint of herbs.
They are super easy to make and pair wonderfully with almost any meal you decide to serve your Dad this Father’s Day. If you are already planning on barbecuing then all you have to do is throw the brown butter bread on the grill and then top them as you please.
Brown Butter
Making brown butter can seem intimidating, but it’s really not difficult at all! It’s actually super easy. Once you do it you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before. Brown butter transforms the most basic dish into a world of explosive, rich, nutty flavours. It’s like a secret ingredient waiting to enhance your dish! And that’s exactly why I wanted to use brown butter on these crostini.
Simply add unsalted butter to a pot on medium heat and let the butter simmer until it starts to brown and small flecks appear. It should start to smell fragrant and nutty. Remove from heat, scrape the bottom and pour into a bowl or glass jar. Voila! You have brown butter.
Crostini Variations
Top each crostini with approx. one tablespoon of ricotta cheese, then add sliced or crushed fruit, your favourite herb and top with a drizzle of brown butter.
- Slices of fresh strawberries with basil
- Crushed raspberry with chives and black pepper
- Crushed blackberry with toasted sage
- Slices of fresh apricots with thyme
- Chopped cherries with mint
- Apple slices with rosemary
Brown Butter Crostini
A fun spin on a crostini and a perfect way to impress a crowd. Brown butter adds a nutty rich flavour and pairs lovely with fresh fruit and herbs.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- fresh fruit such as; raspberries, blackberries, apricots, strawberries
- fresh herbs such as, thyme, sage, chives, basil
- 1 french baguette or make your own (click here for recipe)
Instructions
- In a light coloured pot (so you can see the colour of the butter change) melt butter on medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to be sure the butter is cooking evenly. Your butter will foam and start to change colour from yellow to brown with brown flecks. It will also start to smell nutty, at this stage take the butter off the heat, transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
- Meanwhile, slice your baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices.
- Brush each side of the baguette with the brown butter, be generous!
- Broil or grill each side of the buttered baguette slices, and set aside to cool.
- Add approx. 1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese to each slice of baguette and top with desired fruit and herbs – slices of strawberries with basil and drizzle brown butter on top; slices of apricot with thyme, or sage; crushed blackberries with thyme or sage; crushed raspberries with thyme or chives.
Notes
For added flavour, I dipped my sage and thyme in brown butter and lightly grilled them.
My favourite herbs used were chives and sage, don’t be afraid to try something a little different.
Brown butter will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 35
- Sugar: 0.4g
- Sodium: 31mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 1.3g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.8g
- Cholesterol: 8mg
Keywords: Brown Butter, Crostini, Ricotta, Fruit, Appetizer, Savoury
FAQ’s
Crostini mean’s ‘little toasts’ in Italian and are served as appetizers. They are small slices of bread that have been grilled or toasted on both sides, normally brushed with olive oil. They are then dressed with a variety of toppings like cheeses, meats and vegetables. They can be sweet or savoury.
A French baguette or a long loaf is a popular choice for making crostini. The bread is typically small in diameter and should crisp up nicely.
Crostini can be served either hot or cold and can be sweet or savoury. They are very popular and versatile appetizers.
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[…] There is no greater pleasure than bread and butter! And this is backed up by baker Alie Romano. When we asked Alie to think of the perfect Father’s Day treat, she tells us that ”I couldn’t think of a better way to spoil my Dad this Father’s Day but to make homemade bread for him and slather it in brown butter topped with fresh fruit, cheese, herbs, and yes, more brown butter!” There is an extra special summer-style celebratory twist on these brown butter crostini with the rich, nutty flavor of butter, the sweetness of fresh fruit and the earthy hint of herbs. You can find out how to create these brown butter crostini for yourself here . […]
[…] There is no greater pleasure than bread and butter! And this is backed up by baker Alie Romano. When we asked Alie to think of the perfect Father’s Day treat, she tells us that ”I couldn’t think of a better way to spoil my Dad this Father’s Day but to make homemade bread for him and slather it in brown butter topped with fresh fruit, cheese, herbs, and yes, more brown butter!” There is an extra special summer-style celebratory twist on these brown butter crostini with the rich, nutty flavor of butter, the sweetness of fresh fruit and the earthy hint of herbs. You can find out how to create these brown butter crostini for yourself here . […]
This is such a great idea. I did this for a backyard birthday party and everyone loved them. Thanks for the recipe!
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