12 Days of Easy Appetizers: Fig, Ricotta, and Prosciutto Crostini

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Blue Dahlia Bistro, one of my favorite restaurants in Austin, makes amazing open-faced sandwiches that are just the perfect lunch when I’m in the mood for something more than a typical sub. A couple of weeks ago I took my lunch break at Blue Dahlia to contemplate the recipes for my 12 Days of Easy Appetizers. While I had a chicken salad tartine, I noticed fig and ricotta sandwich on the menu and decided right then and there that I’d find a way to put that flavor combination in one of my appetizers. Then, serendipitously, my friend Stephanie, the local preserves artisan behind Confituras, added fig walnut conserves to her list of available goodies. It was as if the universe was telling me to create this dish. I decided that for a party appetizer a crostini would be a good expression of the Blue Dahlia tartine. I added a bit of prosciutto to the mix for a bit of meat and saltiness, but some fresh arugula would work as well to make this a vegetarian twist.

Recipe: Fig, Ricotta, and Prosciutto Crostini

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: 24 crostini
  
• Prep Time: 15 min
  
• Cook Time: 10 min
  

Ingredients

• 1 baguette
• 3 Tbsp. Olive oil for drizzling
• 1 c. fig compote or jam
• 24 oz. whole milk ricotta
• 8 thin slices prosciutto, down the longest side into thirds for a total of 24 pieces.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the baguette into 24 ½ in. slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and drizzle evenly with the olive oil.
3. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
4. Spread each crostini with 2 tsp. of the jam then top with a Tbsp. of the ricotta cheese. Roll each piece of prosciutto into a small cylinder and place it on top of the ricotta. Serve immediately.

Recipe for Success

• Ingredient quality makes all the difference in this dish, so choose wisely. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase goodies from local artisans or even friends who gifted you a particularly tasty jam.
• You can substitute other jams for the fig compote in this recipe. Try for something on the sweeter side like a cherry preserve that can stand up to the ricotta and the prosciutto.
• You can make the toasted bread up to a day in advance but wait to assemble the crostini until 5-10 minutes before you plan to serve them so they won’t get soggy.