If you’re looking for an original idea for appetizers for happy hour or a quick and tasty dinner, the pumpkin and Taleggio crostini are the perfect choice, especially in autumn. When I’m short on time but want to surprise my guests with a tasty and creative appetizer, I often rely on quick crostini to customize with vegetables, cheeses, or cold cuts, thus pleasing all tastes. My latest experiment was these pumpkin and Taleggio crostini: the intense flavor of Taleggio pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of pumpkin, while the hazelnuts add a pleasant crunchy and toasted note. Perfect as a vegetarian appetizer, the crostini can be prepared with roasted pumpkin – I chose the Hokkaido variety and roasted it – or sautéed in a pan or grilled, for a result that is always new and rich in flavor!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 290.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 29.67 (g) of which sugars 4.76 (g)
- Proteins 12.42 (g)
- Fat 14.30 (g) of which saturated 6.95 (g)of which unsaturated 3.86 (g)
- Fibers 2.36 (g)
- Sodium 717.70 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 8 Pumpkin and Taleggio Crostini
- 7 oz bread (for me gluten-free)
- 8 oz pumpkin
- 5 oz Taleggio
- 0.7 oz toasted hazelnuts
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
How to prepare pumpkin and Taleggio crostini
To prepare pumpkin and Taleggio crostini, start by cooking the pumpkin: I used oven-roasted Hokkaido pumpkin with this recipe. Alternatively, any other type of pumpkin (Delica, Mantovana, butternut squash…) will work fine, which should be sliced not too thick, seasoned with oil, salt, pepper, and spices to taste – rosemary, sage, thyme, paprika, etc. – and roasted in the oven at 400°F until soft and golden (1).
If you prefer, you can cut it into cubes and brown it in a pan with a garlic clove and some rosemary. Once the pumpkin is cooked, cut it into cubes (2). Remove the rind from the Taleggio and cut it into cubes as well (3).
Lightly toast the bread slices using a toaster or in the oven. If the slices are very large, cut them in half. Place the pumpkin cubes and Taleggio cubes on top (4). Coarsely chop the hazelnuts (5).
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the crostini on it. Garnish with the chopped hazelnuts (6). Broil the pumpkin and Taleggio crostini in the preheated oven at 400°F (convection) for about 5 minutes, just enough time to melt the cheese (7).
Remove them from the oven and serve immediately. They can be served as an original snack to accompany an aperitif or as a vegetarian appetizer for an informal dinner. In larger quantities, they can also serve as a second course.
Storage
Pumpkin and Taleggio crostini should be consumed immediately, but the pumpkin can be cooked the day before and stored in the refrigerator.
Tips and Variations
For this recipe, I chose Hokkaido pumpkin, with its sweet and firm flesh, which goes well with the strong flavor of Taleggio; Delica is also an excellent solution, for its intense and fragrant taste.
FAQ
What can I use instead of Taleggio?
You can use sweet Gorgonzola if you love strong flavors, or sweet or smoked scamorza for a more delicate taste.
