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Hot day Crostini

 "It's been sweltering." 

This is absolutely not how you plate this to eat it but it does look pretty right?


Some days its too hot to cook but that doesn't mean you don't want something good to eat. the problem is that even in England, where the heat is rare but genuinely oppressive, turning on the oven or standing in front of the hob seems like an exorcise in machoism. In these cases you can absolutely reach for a sandwich or you can do something that hits a little harder and feels more like a meal. thes crostini take me back to sundrenched lunches in Naples. 


Crostini 

  • Bread (A baguette is my preferred choice but go for good bread over the correct shape. the bread is the meal more or less)
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic  (one clove, peeled)

  1. Drizzle your bread with olive oil then put it under the grill until it's toasted to your liking. 
  2. While the bread is still warm rub garlic over the toast. (trust me the flavor is very present and this is a good way to cheat your way into garlic bread)
Pea and Mint Spread 

  • Peas (about a mug full will make enough for a small to medum party, defrosted) 
  • Mint (leaves picked as many as you can be bothered to pick)
  • Lemon (one, zest and juice)
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil 
  • Salt
  1. Throw everting into a blender, add enough olive oil to get it blending. 
  2. Blend till smooth
  3. Season to taste 

Whipped fetta 

  • Fetta cheese (just do a whole block)
  • Natural yogurt (about as much by volume as fetta but have enough to add more to modify the texture)
  • Chili flakes 
  1. Crumble the fetta into the blender, add  yogurt and chili flakes. 
  2. Blend into a paste a similar consistency to hummus, add more yogurt if it needs letting out. 
Tomatoes 
  • Tomatoes (I'm so happy its good tomato season again)
  • Garlic (one clove and i mean that its not the kind of one clove that means three cloves) 
  • Basil 
  • Olive oil (the best you have available)
  • Salt 
  • Black pepper
  1. Core and dice your tomatoes (save the middle bits to make tomato essence)
  2. Salt them generously and douse them in olive oil. 
  3. just before serving season further with black pepper and stir in a hearty chiffonade of basil. 
Serve all the toppings in bowls with a heap of crostini in the center of the table (or piss about getting stuff on a crostini to to look like an Italian flag despite the dish not being at all traditional)

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