Garlicky, toasty, salty and fresh, Olive Artichoke Crostini makes a welcomed, lighter, appetizer at the party. Make ahead for ultimate ease! This recipe is vegetarian and easily vegan.
Thinking of y’all on the East Coast today as the weather continues to impact your daily life. I hope you are warm, have plenty of food stocked up and have something hot to drink. As I write, my friend sent me a picture of the snow and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.
The biggest snow storm I’ve ever experienced dropped a whopping 23″ on us seven years ago. Although it was beautiful, it put this small island town on lock down for several days. The only vehicles on the road were snowplows or big trucks and those that found themselves, not intentionally, off the road.
Big trucks, equipped with their tow winch were out on the look out, having some fun, and were kind enough to pull cars out of the ditch. A show of community and support often come at most needed times.
Pantry staples I always seem to have on hand include artichokes and olives. Because it’s Super Bowl weekend, I thought I’d put together something a bit lighter to help us keep our energy up while cheering for the Seahawks. Often it feels like events such as the Super Bowl give me a green light to go crazy with junk food (I have a recipe for you of the perfect Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes, if in need). And while there may be a bit of that, I still like to have lighter options.
For this recipe, you’ll want to have a baguette or ciabatta to serve with the olive artichoke topping. I went for an olive baguette. It can be a day or two old, or if you’re like me, I typically keep a few varieties of bread in my freezer…. you know, just in case.
Garlic? You be the judge. I loaded this recipe up with four, count them FOUR, large cloves. I think I offended Claire Cat on more than one occasion. And Rob, well… he left the room. If you’re a garlic lover, load it up. Otherwise, I’d go with one large clove… maybe two.
Oh and be sure to use the tastiest olive oil you can find. It really does make a difference!
the recipe
Olive Artichoke Crostini
Ingredients
- 14 oz Artichoke Hearts canned, drained
- 2-4 Cloves Garlic your choice, peeled and rough chopped *See Note
- 1/2 C Kalamata Olives drained
- 2 Tbs Capers drained
- 1/2 C Fresh Parsley chopped, divided
- 1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4 Tbs Olive Oil + 2-3 Tbs for brushing I use California Olive Ranch
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt + a pinch for finishing
- 1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes optional
- 1/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese optional
- 1 Baguette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, add the artichokes to the bowl and pulse until finely chopped, not pureed. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the garlic, olives, capers and 1/3 C parsley to the food processor bowl. Pulse until finely chopped, about the same size as the artichokes. Pour into the large mixing bowl with the artichokes.
- In a small bowl, whip the lemon juice and olive oil into an emulsion. Pour over the artichoke mixture. Add the sea salt, adjust to taste. If using pepper flakes, add them now. Mix well.
- Cut the baguette into 1/2" pieces on the bias. Brush each piece with olive oil. Bake crostini until toasty and golden, about 8-10 minutes, turning the toasts over 1/2 way through baking. Spread artichoke mixture on top of each piece and garnish with optional parmesan cheese, the remaining parsley and a light pinch of sea salt.
- Store in a lidded container for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Notes
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