Today we will talk about crostini for appetizers, those crispy and tempting thin slices of bread to be toasted and topped as you like. They were made with sourdough starter, but for those who don’t have it, I will illustrate the procedure with fresh yeast at the end of the recipe. They are very easy to make and can be stored for a long time in food bags. We can pair these delicious crostini with a variety of toppings and sauces to make our appetizers and buffets more festive and inviting.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 1 Day
- Portions: 25/30 crostini
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2.6 oz Sourdough starter
- 1 cup Manitoba flour
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 0.1 oz Fine salt
- 1 tbsp Sugar (leveled)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Water
- 1.7 tbsp Vegetable oil
- to taste Flax and sesame seeds
Preparation
Refresh the sourdough starter as usual, take 75 grams (2.6 oz) and let it double in volume, well covered.
When the starter is ready, place it in a stand mixer (or bowl), add the sifted flours, 3/4 of the water and mix coarsely. Cover and let rest for about 30 minutes for autolysis.
After half an hour, add the rest of the water, salt, sugar, flax and sesame seeds (about 2 tablespoons each), and vegetable oil. Work it until the dough is well combined (about 10 minutes by hand; a bit less with a mixer). The dough should be firm, compact but not hard. If necessary, you can add another tablespoon of water. Seal with plastic wrap and let rest for 60 minutes. After an hour, gently turn the dough out onto a floured work table. Gently press it into a kind of rectangle. Roll the sheet on itself from the long side of the “rectangle” to obtain a cylinder. Now place the cylinder vertically with respect to you and roll it up again. This operation helps to give strength and structure to the dough for a better final product. By working it lightly with your hands, stretch it into a cylinder and place it in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Cover well and let it rise until it doubles. When it has risen, preheat the oven to 392°F and bring it to temperature. Bake the loaf in the middle of the oven for about 60 minutes, with gas oven and heat from the bottom only; a little less with electric oven and heat from bottom and top.
When the loaf is well risen and evenly golden, take it out and let it cool for about an hour. Then you can slice and toast it.
To toast: slice the roll and place the slices on one or more baking sheets lined with parchment paper. The ideal thickness is about 1/5 inch or thinner, as you prefer. Turn the oven to the lowest setting and let them toast for 50 minutes, turning the slices occasionally. After 50 minutes, take the slices out and toast the second baking sheet. Meanwhile, the already toasted slices will cool and dry, losing more moisture and becoming just the right crispness.
Store them in bags or containers to preserve their freshness.
Procedure with fresh yeast We will make a direct dough without a starter. The quantities of flour, water, and all other ingredients remain the same as those indicated for the natural starter.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, dissolve 5 grams (0.18 oz) of fresh yeast with a tablespoon of water. Add the sifted flours and more than half of the water. Mix coarsely, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes. After this time, add the fine salt, seeds, the rest of the water, sugar, and vegetable oil. Knead the ingredients for at least 10 minutes or until a compact, firm but easy-to-work dough is formed (if necessary, add a few more tablespoons of water). Let the dough rest well covered for only 30 minutes, then proceed to strengthen and structure the dough as described above.
