Crazy for Crostini
- Georgina Donatantonio
- May 26, 2020
- 4 min read
Bank Holiday saw me with a bee in my bonnet, and an untameable desire for crostini. So I set off on a virtual roadtrip around Italy, comprising the delicacies, regional dishes and curiosities of the different regions, culminating in 'The Crostini Selection'.
Augustus Harris, the quaint Venetian Bacaro nel coure di Covent Garden. A homely slice of Veneto, to which I have already gushed tribute in my previous dating post. One of my beloved memories when working here was the never-ending access to bite-sized treats: the exuding and overflowing burrata, the generously stuffed and oozing gorgonzola dates, and the hearty and healthy display of lean cuts of cured meat, namely prosciutto crudo, capocollo, finocchiona and soppressata. And that is before we’ve even got onto the cheese board with its silk-laden spoons of gorgonzola dolce, sharp and salty pecorino, and the mellow, understated, yet luscious, robiola bosina.
Combine this with the convivial and easy-going atmosphere - the workers on a short and sweet pit-stop, the upbeat and joyous theatregoers, the blushing and softly-spoken lovers - and one was very authentically transported to the beating heart of Veneto.
Perhaps the most prized, fiddly, and thus cursed of the aperitivi was the ‘crostini’. A platter of bite-sized open sandwiches, hosting an expressive array of different toppings, culminating in ‘The Crostini Selection’. With the experimentation of flavours, the inclination to go as fancy, or, in sentimence to the Italian cucina, as simple as you wish, it is near-impossible to not savour the process.
I decided to journey on a taste-bud road-trip around the regions of Italy. The delicacies, traditions, and the curiosities of culture in the differing parts of Italy are a never-ending source of fascination to me. I present to you my personal selection based on the regional dishes & ingredients you might find in these distinct regions. I admit the main characters of the ‘Porchetta e Taleggio’ (stolen from Augustus Harris), are hailing from Italy’s central belly up to the country’s head. But the juicy combination made this crossover justified.
Relish in the making as well as the creation, and let your imagination run wild.
Porchetta e Taleggio (Umbria & Lombardia)
There is debate as to whether Porchetta hails originally from Lazio or Umbria. Solely for the selfish sake of getting round more regions, I'll settle for Umbria. Whichever the correct answer, there is no dispute over its irresistible allure. The buttery, meaty, and pungent taleggio combines with the juicy, herb-laden porchetta to create a decadent, and purely satisfying nibble. So simple, yet so tasty. Yes, we have a region-hybrid occurring, but one bite, and I’m confident you’ll forgive me.
Fagioli (Toscana)
I remember as a child, the comforting and reassuring emotions that came with a bowl of Pasta e Fagioli. It does for the heart what chicken soup does for the soul. The purity and modesty of simple, creamy beans, combined with olive oil, salt, and a few herbs. I was keen to pay homage to this, and so using borlotti beans, rosemary, salt and a good glug of extra virgin olive oil, I cooked away, gave the beans a little mash, laced the bread with garlic, and unreservedly slopped it on.
Sardine e Burro (Liguria)
The intention here was to recreate the Augustus Harris ‘Anchovy & Butter Soldiers – a hearty wedge of butter served atop a velvety tear of focaccia with a salty anchovy posing itself as the cherry on top. A mixed & muddled shopping experience saw me instead put sardines into the trolley, but a mistake that acquired a certain charm, nonetheless.
Acciughe e Burro (Piemonte despite it being landlocked)
My crostini appetite not yet fully satiated, a Saturday trip to the shops saw this time the correct form of oily fish fall into the trolley. Thus, I was able to fully recreate in all its glory the ‘Acciughe e Burro’. If you are not partial to the saltiness of this fish, I encourage you to temper your bias, and give it a go. The butter mellows out the saltiness, and the result is rich, luscious, and well-balanced.
Fegatini (Toscana)
‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. Try as I might, I could not make this look attractive. Whizzed-up chicken livers failed to resemble anything other than an accident on my little piece of bread. I am perhaps comforted slightly that my sister’s trattoria experiences of fegatini in its homeland of Toscana, have conjured up not dissimilar remarks. But close your eyes and let yourself be bewitched by the taste. Cook up your livers with the classic ingredients of extra-virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, then splash in some sherry, a spoon of capers, and finely-diced anchovies. Give it a whizz in your blender, accept that it’s NEVER going to look good, and chuck it onto your crostini. Looks can be deceiving, but the taste-buds never lie.
Salsiccia e Friarielli (Campania)
Perhaps my favourite memory of Campania is the doughy squidginess of a Neapolitan-style pizza adorned with fennel sausage and Italian broccoli, aka friarielli. Living in London, frarielli is near non-existent, and the only one I have yet got my hands on seemed rather costly. Therefore, for a fraction of the cost, I was determined to replicate the friarielli with some natural growth from English turf. It turns out that ‘chard’ is quite a fair substitute. In advance, fry up with a hearty amount of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, chilli, and salt. Leave to sit, whilst you chop up your salsiccia, and then finally combine them, and whip them onto your crostini in a recreation of the classic Campanian topping. Va bene.
Tartufo, Carciofi e Funghi (Marche)
This combination sounds too good to be true. And, in truth, it was a little. I had my jar of truffle and artichoke paste, and I topped it off with a few marinated mushrooms. Therefore, this was simple, lazy, and not fresh like my other creations, though speedy and satisfying, nonetheless. However, if I were to recreate my Crostini alla Marche from scratch, picture it… a roasted artichoke stuffed with creamy, buttery mushroom, perched on top of a crostini, and laced with a slice of white truffle. Mio Dio.
Only one belly, and so many more regions to explore. Not before long, I’ll be back and once again, crazy for crostini. In the meantime, let your own imagination run wild, and please send me a comment with your own creations!
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