Castello Moments Four Creative Crostini Recipes

Compensation for this sponsored post was provided by Castello Cheese: Alps Selection.  As always, all views and opinions, as well as the recipes herein, are my own.  

You know it's a good day when you come home to a box full of cheese waiting for you on the front stoop.  Even better is when you start taste testing those cheeses and thinking about how you can incorporate them into some dynamite recipes.

As I was sampling the three different kinds of cheeses in the Castello Alps Selection, I immediately thought how much fun it would be to host a little wine and cheese party.  What would I serve?  I wouldn't want to make anything super heavy or big.  Nothing requiring a fork and knife.  And I knew a normal, boring cheese board just wouldn't cut it.  And then it hit me.  Let's get creative with some crostini.

Two savory.  Two sweet.  Add in some wine and it is pretty much a complete meal.  Right?

The Bacon, Caramelized Shallot, and Honey crostini was paired with the Castello Alps Selection's Classic cheese.  The Classic cheese has a texture similar to cheddar but a bit drier consistency and a pretty mild flavor.

The Roasted Cherry Tomato and Pesto Crostini paired very well with Castello Alps Selection's Hirten cheese.  With a texture and flavor similar to Parmesan (although a bit darker in color with hints of caramel-y sweetness), the Hirten cheese was a great match both within the pesto and in topping the roasted tomatoes.

Hirten cheese also made a fantastic salty counterpoint to the Roasted Grape with Thyme Crostini.  I've honestly never roasted grapes before, and after tasting them, feel pretty darn foolish.  I mean, really, they are so ridiculously good!  The roasting process adds an extra dimension to the typical flavor of grapes, and it went really well with the Hirten cheese and a light sprinkling of thyme.

Saving my absolute favorite for last, is this Nectarine with Lemon-Basil Sugar Crostini, paired with Castello Alps Selection's Weissbier cheese.  The softest cheese of the bunch, Weissbier has a smooth, buttery consistency with a bit of nutty sweetness.

The nectarines were bursting with juice and perfectly ripe.  And I know basil seems like the oddball out here, but it's beautifully subtle within the lemon-basil sugar.  Trust me.  It'll be your favorite as well.

Now that I have these four creative crostini recipes down, it's time to host that wine and cheese party.  Let's see if I can round up some friends to join me 🙂

Castello Moments – Four Creative Crostini Recipes

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• Yield: Approximately 50-60 Crostini 1x

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Ingredients

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• 2 baguettes, thinly sliced (¼"-½" thick)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

For the Nectarine and Lemon-Basil Sugar Crostini

• 2 nectarines, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 10 basil leaves, chiffonade (rolled up and cut into thin strips)
• Weissbier Cheese, sliced (or another soft, mild, buttery cheese like gouda, edam, or havarti)

For the Roasted Grape and Thyme Crostini

• 1 and ½ cups seedless red grapes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher salt
• Small handful thyme sprigs, leaves removed and roughly chopped
• Hirten Cheese, thinly sliced (or a good quality Parmesan cheese)

For the Roasted Cherry Tomato and Pesto Crostini

• 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ - 2 c. fresh basil
• ½ - ⅔ c. olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup shredded Hirten cheese (or Parmesan cheese), plus a little more thinly sliced for topping

For the Bacon, Caramelized Shallot, and Honey Crostini

• A few slices of thickly-sliced Bacon
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Honey, for drizzling
• Classic Cheese, sliced (or another mild, medium-soft cheese)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toast in oven for approximately 3-4 minutes, then turn baguette slice over and toast another couple minutes.
2. Brush several of the toasted baguette slices with the peeled garlic clove, but only the amount you will use for the Roasted Cherry Tomato and Basil Crostini.

For the Nectarine and Lemon-Basil Sugar Crostini

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, and chiffonade of basil. Top toasted baguette slices with a slice of cheese, 2 nectarine slices, and a small spoonful of lemon-basil sugar.

For the Roasted Grape and Thyme Crostini

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread grapes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle and lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Roast in oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, until the skins have wrinkled and grapes have softened and collapsed slightly. Top toasted baguette slices with a few roasted grapes, a few shards of cheese, and a light sprinkle of fresh thyme.

For the Roasted Cherry Tomato and Pesto Crostini

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread tomatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle and lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Roast in oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, until the skins have wrinkled and tomatoes have softened and collapsed slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a small food processor, combine garlic and basil. Drizzle in olive oil (start with ½ cup and add more if needed) and purée. Stir in shredded cheese and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Top toasted baguette slices with a few roasted cherry tomatoes, a spoonful of pesto and a few shards of cheese.

For the Bacon, Caramelized Shallot, and Honey Crostini

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Add shallots, season generously with Kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, approximately 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut bacon into ½" pieces. Cook over medium-low heat in a skillet until golden brown and crispy. Drain bacon on a few paper towels.
3. Top toasted baguette slices with a slice of cheese, a small spoonful of caramelized shallot, a few pieces of bacon, and drizzle very lightly with honey.

Win a Private Cheese Tasting in your own home - enter by clicking on the banner below. Castello Moments and this post is a collaboration between the blogger and Arla Foods USA.