During the hottest days of summer, the last thing I want to do is slave over a hot stove. Enter this quick and easy no-cook dinner idea from Clarence Kwan, a friend and excellent amateur cook. Just make or buy a bunch of crostini – crisp little toasts – and serve them with a variety of tasty toppings that can be whipped up in a couple of minutes flat.
On their own, any of these recipes would also make an excellent first course. Together, they serve six as a main course.
The crostini recipe is quick and easy to execute and makes 30 bases, but you can make more if you're serving a hungry group. The slices will keep up to 10 days well sealed in a plastic bag but not refrigerated. If you absolutely do not want to turn on the oven, you can buy excellent crostini at the supermarket.
Servings: Makes 30 or more crostini.
Ingredients
1 baguette
½ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut baguette into thin slices no more than ½-inch thick. Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden, turning over once if needed.
Remove from oven, brush lightly with olive oil and rub with cut side of garlic clove.
Lucy Waverman