Prosciutto and Pesto Crostini feature grilled Baguette slices with Pesto, Prosciutto, Baby Tomato, and a topping of melted Provolone Cheese.
This is a very simple little appetizer that can serve as a standalone snack, as an hors d’oeuvre, or as a side at a BBQ party. It is very simple in concept and can be put together very quickly at the last moment, especially if you cut a major corner and use a store-bought Pesto.
I have actually used my own Scallion Garlic Pesto Recipe here, as I very much like the extra garlicky-oniony bite it provides. It doesn’t contain cheese as do standard Genovese style Pesto recipes, but the Provolone makes up for that. I have also made this little appetizer using the Pesto mix made especially for my Steak with Lemon-Cumin Pesto, and the result was very nice, if a little unorthodox.
You can certainly substitute a cheese other than Provolone here, but the moderate sharpness of that particular variety is an excellent choice. Actually, because of the Pesto, Provolone and Prosciutto combination used, I rather thought of calling this ‘Three P Crostini’. That sounded a little inelegant, though, and I also didn’t want to offend those with chronic incontinence.
The Ingredient for Prosciutto and Pesto Crostini
Well, I am dispensing with a formal recipe with a precise ingredient list for this particular little dish, as it is hardly necessary. You can see all the essential ingredients above and should have no problems working out the amounts of each required depending on the number of individual little Crostini pieces you require.
The Prosciutto I have used here is one of those el cheapo, plastic packaged varieties from the super-market. However, given the potent flavors of the additional toppings used here, this is probably one of the occasions where you can skimp on using an expensive, delicately flavored type.
The Method
Make your Crostini by slicing a Baguette on the bias (to produce more surface area for each slice), and then toast them on the BBQ, or on a ridged grill pan, as seen here. You want to brown the pieces to golden, but also produce the darker grill-marks as this adds extra flavor.
To construct your Prosciutto and Pesto Crostini, you need to spread a good tablespoon or so of Pesto over each slice of toast. I have not used any olive oil or butter on the toast in this recipe, chiefly because my Scallion Garlic Pesto has a fair amount of oil in it and you can simply let it sit on the toast for a few minutes and soak in a little. If your Pesto seems too dry for this, you can always brush a little Olive Oil over each slice before adding the Pesto.
Next, make little rolls of Prosciutto and place one near each end of the Crostini slices. Place half a Tomato slice on either side of each Prosciutto roll and then top each Prosciutto/Tomato mound with strips of Provolone placed cross-wise.
When ready, pop the slices under the broiler for a minute or two to melt and toast the cheese and serve while hot.