Cheese Crusted Crostini with Pesto Ricotta and Crispy Prosciutto

Herby ricotta cheesy crostini on a serving platter.

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Cheese Crusted Crostini with Pesto Ricotta and Crispy Prosciutto

If my crostini isn't crispy cheese crusted, I simply do not want it. These gorgeous cheese crusted crostini, piled high with creamy pesto ricotta, crispy prosciutto, and drizzled with hot honey sauce, are the definition of boujee, but easy. Every bite hits a different note - crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet - and that's exactly why they're such a popular party appetizer.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesy crostini, pesto crostini

Servings: crostini

Calories: 170kcal

Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

For the cheesy crusted crostini -

1 baguette
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the creamy pesto ricotta -

1 cup roughly 250g ricotta
4 tablespoons basil pesto
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

For the topping -

6 slices of prosciutto or bacon, chorizo, salami
A handful of fresh basil leaves finely sliced
A handful of fresh chives finely chopped
2 tablespoons of hot honey sauce or sweet chili jam, or regular honey

Instructions

Make the cheesy crostini. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice your baguette into thin slices. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (you may need two), then scatter the grated cheddar cheese all over the pan. Place the baguette slices right on top of the grated cheese, pressing down to set them in place. Drizzle them with olive oil, bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is super crispy and the bread is golden.
Make the crispy prosciutto. You can do this at the same time as the crostini. Line a separate baking pan with parchment paper and arrange the prosciutto slices on it. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, or until dark and crispy. You can also do this in the air fryer: place the prosciutto slices in your air fryer basket (ideally on one layer) and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 3 – 4 minutes, or until crispy and darkened. Let them cool before breaking into shards, and they’ll crisp up more as they cool.
Make the pesto ricotta topping. In a bowl, mix your ricotta, 4 tablespoons of pesto, and a good grind of black pepper. Taste, then add a little salt if it needs it (this will depend on how salty your pesto is). You can transfer it to a piping bag at this point for easy assembly if you like.
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. Arrange on a serving platter, then either pipe, or spoon a good dollop of the pesto ricotta onto the crostini. Place a crispy prosciutto shard on top, then drizzle with hot honey, and scatter with the basil and chives. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: While the crostini as a whole are best enjoyed the day they're assembled, the individual elements can be made in advance. The pesto ricotta will keep well for up to 3 days stored in the fridge, and the prosciutto can be crisped up 24 hours in advance, then stored at room temperature (let it cool completely before storing it). The crostini themselves can be made 24 hours in advance - I recommend crisping them up quickly in the oven or air fryer before serving for the best crispy texture.

INGREDIENT NOTES: Swap the ricotta for whipped cottage cheese, creamy whipped feta, cream cheese, or Boursin, creamy labneh, or thick sour cream. Use bacon, chorizo, sausage meat, or chopped olives instead of prosciutto. I love the hot honey drizzle for a sweet contrast to the salty cheese and prosciutto, but you could use regular honey, or sweet chili jam instead.

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