Both different but delicious: One crostini boasts sweet squash with savory fontina and fried sage. The other, mortadella with pumpkin seed pesto and ricotta.
I cannot begin to explain how good these crostini are. They are both so different, yet equally delicious. The butternut squash is a little sweet, but the melty fontina and earthy sage make it so savory. The crispy pieces of mortadella pair so well with the pumpkin seed pesto, and because both are strong flavors, the ricotta is a neutral, but a definite needed addition. I love crostini because you can do so many things with it – just go into your fridge and pantry and pull out some ingredients and you’ve got a delicious appetizer. It’s hard to pick a favorite between these two, but because I love that pumpkin seed pesto (I told you I’ve been putting it on everything!), I would lean towards the mortadella and pesto crostini – but that butternut squash and sage, it’s a tough decision. If you need a little inspiration for an appetizer for an upcoming holiday party, look no further than these two. 
Get the recipe for the delicious pumpkin seed pesto here.
- Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Crostini
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 baguette, sliced
- Sage leaves
- Fontina cheese, grated
- Crispy Mortadella and Pumpkin Seed Pesto Crostini
- 1 baguette, sliced
- Olive oil
- 1/4 lb mortadella, sliced thinly
- 1 small container of whole milk ricotta
- Salt and pepper
- Pumpkin Seed Pesto (see link above for recipe)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to make sure everything is coated. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until tender. Place the sliced baguette on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 5-10 minutes until bread has gotten crispy, but not brown. Remove from oven.
- In a medium pan, add a little olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the sage leaves and cook on each side until crispy. Drain on paper towels. To assemble, top each slice of baguette with grated fontina and butternut squash. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted and the bread has started to turn brown. Remove from oven and top with a piece of sage. Serve immediately.
- Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees. Take the sliced baguette and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 5-10 minutes or until bread has gotten crispy, but not brown. Remove from oven. Meanwhile, place a little olive oil in a pan and heat over medium-high heat. Slice each piece of mortadella into fourths. Place the mortadella in the pan, working in batches. Cook for about a minute on each side or until the pieces are crispy. Remove and repeat with remaining meat. To assemble, top each slice of bread with a small spoonful of ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the mortadella on top and then drizzle with pumpkin seed pesto. Bake for 5 minutes or until everything is warmed through and the bread has just started to turn brown. Serve immediately.
