Can I make the crostini ahead of time?

You can roast the tomatoes up to 5 days ahead of time, and make the crostini up to 24 hours ahead of time. It's best to bring the tomatoes to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

What's the best cheese to use for the crostini?

I've used a nice strong, sharp cheddar here, but you could use Parmesan, Grada Padano, Gruyere, Pecorino Romano, Colby Jack, or Manchego. Anything semi-hard that you can grate will work.

I can't find labneh. What else could I use on the crostini?

I often use a good, thick Greek yogurt in place of labneh if I can't find it or don't have time to make it. Make sure it's very thick so it won't run off the crostini. 'Greek-style' yogurt tends to be too runny. You could also use ricotta, cream cheese, Boursin, cottage cheese, whipped creamy feta , spicy whipped feta dip , or even this two-ingredient whipped sundried tomato feta dip .

What else could I add to the crostini?

If you're not worried about keeping these vegetarian, a sliver of prosciutto would be lovely here, as would crispy chorizo or bacon. Or, chop some marinated olives and scatter them on top too. A little drizzle of hot honey sauce or sweet chilli jam would be lovely as well.

Cheesy Crusted Roasted Tomato Crostini

Description

Step up your appetizer game with these gorgeous crispy, cheese-crusted crostini, piled with creamy Greek yogurt and jammy roasted tomatoes. They’re SUPER easy and guaranteed to be a hit with your guests at any party (especially lovely over the holiday season).

Ingredients

Units Scale

12oz (350g) cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 baguette
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup creamy labneh or thick Greek yogurt
A handful of basil leaves, chopped
A handful of thyme leaves

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Instructions

Roast the tomatoes. Heat your oven to 430°F (220°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (or use an oven dish). Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, the crushed garlic, and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Toss to combine, then transfer to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are lovely and charred and starting to break down.
Make the cheesy crostini. Slice your baguette into thin slices. Line another sheet pan with parchment paper (you may need two), then scatter the grated cheddar cheese in little piles on the tray, slightly larger than the baguette slices. Place the baguette slices right on top of the grated cheese, pressing down to set them in place. Drizzle the baguette slices with more olive oil, then transfer to the oven for 10 minutes, until the cheese is super crispy and the bread is golden. PRO TIP: You can do this at the same time as cooking the tomatoes.
Assemble the crostini. Leave the cheesy crostini to cool slightly as they come out of the oven – this will give the cheese a chance to properly crisp up and remain in place. Carefully turn the crostini over, so the cheesy side is on top. Spoon a dollop of creamy labneh on top of the crostini, then place a roasted tomato on top, making sure to drizzle over some of the lovely tomato cooking juices. Scatter over the chopped basil leaves and the thyme to finish, then serve.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: You can roast the tomatoes up to 5 days ahead of time, and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. Ideally, bring them to room temperature before you do, for the best flavor. The crostini can be made up to 24 hours in advance, too.

INGREDIENT NOTES: You could use Parmesan, Grada Padano, Manchego, Colby Jack, Gruyere, or Pecorino Romano instead of cheddar if you like. A baguette is easy, as it slices nicely into little pieces, but you could use any other bread and cut it into bite-sized pieces (I often use no-knead chili cheese focaccia squares, or you could use rosemary parmesan bread or Vogel’s style seed bread). Use larger tomatoes if you like, and chop them into wedges.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 25
Category: party food
Method: oven
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 crostini
Calories: 53
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 172mg
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Carbohydrates: 2.7g
Fiber: 0.3g
Protein: 2.9g
Cholesterol: 6mg