This tasty Apricot, Almond, Feta Crostini is a visually stunning creation. It balances textures and flavors, offering a harmonious blend of tangy, nutty, and refreshing notes. Perfect for entertaining or as a flavorful snack, these crostini showcase the art of combining quality ingredients into a tantalizing bite.
Common questions
Should the crostini be hot?
Crostini are typically served at room temperature or slightly warm. When preparing crostini, the bread slices are toasted until they become crispy, and they are usually allowed to cool down before adding the toppings. This allows the crostini to maintain their crispiness while providing a sturdy base for the toppings.
However, you can choose to serve the crostini warm if you prefer. Just keep in mind that adding toppings like vegan feta, apricots, greens, sprouts, and herbs to hot crostini might slightly wilt the greens and sprouts. If you’re aiming for a presentation with fresh and vibrant toppings, it’s generally best to let the crostini cool before adding the toppings.
Should crostini be hard or soft?
Crostini should be crisp and crunchy. The word “crostini” itself comes from the Italian word “crostino,” which means “little crust.” The key to making good crostini is to achieve a crispy texture on the outside while maintaining a slightly tender interior.
To make crostini, you start with slices of bread, usually baguette or another rustic-style bread, and toast them until they become golden and crispy. This crispy texture is essential for crostini because it provides a sturdy base that can hold the toppings without becoming soggy.
So, when you make crostini, aim for a balance where the outside is nicely toasted and crisp, while the inside retains a bit of softness. This combination of textures makes crostini a perfect vehicle for a wide range of toppings.
Apricot, Almond, Feta Crostini
Ingredients
For the crostini
- 1 baguette or French bread, sliced thin about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (so that it can crisp)
- olive oil, for brushing
For the vegan feta
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight and drained (peeled is best but optional)
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the toppings
- ripe apricots, sliced and peeled
- sliced or chopped almonds
- sprouts (e.g., alfalfa, sunflower, mixed)
- mixed baby greens (e.g., arugula, spinach, lettuce)
- fresh herbs (e.g. basil, mint)
Instructions
For the crostini:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and brush each slice lightly with olive oil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crostini are golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and let them cool.
For the vegan feta
- In a food processor, combine soaked almonds, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, garlic, and salt.
- Process until the mixture becomes crumbly and resembles feta cheese texture. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the processor a few times.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
For assembling
- Spread a layer of the vegan feta onto each crostini.
- Top the feta with a slices of ripe apricot and almond slices.
- Place mixed greens, and a sprinkling of herbs or sprouts on top of the apricot slice.
- Arrange the assembled crostini on a serving platter and serve immediately.
