Why you’ll love this recipe

This homemade crostini recipe uses a minimal amount of ingredients (5 to be exact), which come together to make something so delicious. It’s the perfect appetizer for a party, as it’s impressive, is suitable for all (hello vegans) and perfect to make the components ahead of time. Also it’s super affordable!

I’ve named this a crostini recipe due to its size, as they often use smaller pieces of bread that are also oven-baked. The toppings and flavours are inspired by the famous Italian Bruschetta though, which is why I’ve also titled it Bruschetta Bites. 

Ingredients 

Baguette

I used a french stale baguette for this recipe,  as you want a longer/ thinner piece of bread to form the small rounds of the crostini bread. 

Vine Tomatoes

As the tomatoes are the main star of the show on the toasted baguette, we want them to be as high quality/ flavoursome as possible. I find on-the-vine tomatoes to be juicier and richer in flavour. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

This crostini recipe calls for extra virgin olive oil, as we really want the rich flavours of the oil to shine through, rather than using a neutral oil. 

Garlic 

The little toasts are coated in a garlic oil, which when baked in the oven, makes the best foundation to our bruschetta bites. 

Red onion 

The onion adds a nice contrast to all the other flavours in the bruschetta. You can use white or red onion here.

How to make crostini

PREHEAT OVEN TO 180°C

Start by slicing the baguettes into pieces approx 1.5cm wide, approx the width of a finger.

Once the tomatoes are chopped, you will need to pour them into a sieve and set aside to release the excess liquid,  before adding them to a bowl.

Add the minced garlic to a chopping board with a pinch of salt. Using the side of your knife, repeatedly squish and drag the knife across the board until the garlic forms a paste.

Combine the garlic paste and olive oil in a small mixing bowl. Season with a generous pinch of salt.

Lightly brush the mini baguette pieces in the garlic oil (using approx half of the oil). Pop in the oven for around 7 minutes until lightly toasted.

Meanwhile, add the tomatoes and onion to a mixing bowl (excess juices now released), stirring the remaining garlic oil into the bowl. Season with additional salt if needed.

Add the mixture onto the toasted bruschetta bites and top with chopped fresh basil.

What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta?

Crostini appetizers are smaller toast rounds that are usually baked in the oven with various toppings. Toppings could include ricotta, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. 

Bruschetta on the other hand uses larger pieces of toasted bread, that is topped with a tomato/olive oil/ garlic/salt mix. 

I love calling this crostini recipe bruschetta bites as they are inspired by the flavours of bruschetta, but on a crostini piece of bread.

Other bread recipes with fresh tomatoes …

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

This crostini recipe is perfect to make the elements ahead of a party that you’ll host later that day. You can toast the stale bread in the morning and assemble the tomato/onion/ olive oil mix ahead of time. 

Then when your guests are coming over you can simply top each of the bruschetta bites with the tomato mix. Don’t add the tomatoes onto the bread hours, before as this could make the bites soggy! 

I wouldn’t prep this recipe a whole day before, as we want the toppings to be as fresh as possible.

Other fresh tomato recipes…