These perfectly balanced crostinis are made with savoury mushrooms that get sautéed in garlic, butter and thyme, then paired with creamy and light ricotta that gets finished with a generous drizzle of honey.
Equipment
Everything you need to make mushroom and ricotta crostini at home:
- cutting board
- bread knife
- chef’s knife
- parchment-lined baking sheet
- pastry brush
- large bowl or clean dish towel
- large skillet
Cooking Tips
- For perfect crostini every time use a pastry brush to lightly coat the baguette pieces in neutral oil before you bake. This will encourage browning and give your crostini a delicious crunch.
- Buying the right ricotta. When it comes to buying cheese, I always say, buy the best you can afford. This is true for ricotta. The best of the best will be made fresh, using whole milk and have a creamy — not grainy — texture, with a touch of natural sweetness.
- Not a fan of thyme? No problem, you can use almost any herb as a replacement. I think tarragon or rosemary would be equally delicious.
How to avoid making soggy and rubbery mushrooms
Ah, yes, we’ve all had a soggy — or worse, rubbery — mushroom. It’s not great! And sadly, it’s the reason why many don’t love ‘shrooms. This is a travesty in my books. So, we are here to right that wrong!
When mushrooms cook, they have three stages. The first happens when they initially hit the pan as their pale, raw selves, just as they were in the package. Then, after some time, they turn grey-ish brown and release a ton of water. This is when most people stop cooking. And those people are not wrong, the mushrooms are technically cooked at this second stage, but they are far from done. The secret, is taking your mushrooms to the third stage by continuing to cook them, and letting that water evaporate, so the mushrooms can brown and develop a chewy and meaty texture. Once you get to that third stage, you’re in the clear. All that’s left to do is season with salt, and other flavours like garlic, butter and thyme, as I do here.
What flavours go well with mushrooms?
The beautiful thing about mushrooms is that they are a blank canvas for flavour. All you have to do is figure out which aromatics and seasoning profiles work best with the regional cuisine you wish to cook, and build a combination from there.
Some of my favourites are:
-Miso, Orange and Sesame (as done with my Miso-Orange Glazed Oyster Mushrooms).
-Garlic, Thyme and Honey
-Balsamic, Mustard and Rosemary
Mushroom + Ricotta Crostini
25
crostinis1
hourIngredients
1 french baguette
1 lb mushrooms (black oyster, chanterelle or cremini)
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
3 sprigs of thyme, stems removed, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp neutral oil (I'm using avocado)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt (I'm using Diamond Crystal)
200g ricotta
honey for drizzling
Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Slice your baguette into 25 rounds, each slice about 1 cm thick. You might not use the whole baguette.
Place your baguette rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with neutral oil. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook at 300°F for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until slightly browned and completely dry.
Meanwhile, prepare your mushrooms. Clean the mushrooms by either brushing the dirt away with a pastry brush or clean dish towel, or quickly soak them in a bowl of water, shaking them to remove any dirt or debris. If you choose to clean the mushrooms using water, do so quickly to avoid the mushrooms absorbing excess water, which will extend the cook time. Next, slice or rip your mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. When cooking creminis I like to slice them using a chef's knife. When using chanterelles or black oysters, I prefer to rip, or shred, them with my hands. Choose the method that feels easiest and most convenient for you!
Once the mushrooms are prepped, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Once warm, add olive oil and mushrooms. Let cook for 5-10 minutes on medium until the mushrooms release their water. When you notice the pan is filed with liquid, increase the heat to medium high and continue cooking until the water has evaporated and the mushrooms start to brown, about 10-15 minutes.
When the mushrooms start to brown, reduce heat to medium and add butter, garlic and thyme leaves. Continue cooking until the butter is melted and bubbling and the garlic and thyme are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Your mushrooms should be looking very brown and delicious at this point!
Finish the mushrooms with apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. Stir until the vinegar evaporates. The vinegar will release brown bits from the pan, so be sure to scrape those up while you stir. Turn off heat and set aside.
By now your crostini should be ready, remove them from the oven and transfer to a cutting board or serving tray. Top with a generous scoop of ricotta and a spoonful of mushrooms.
Just before serving, finish the crostini with honey and more fresh thyme.
Tag me @stefsdinnerdate on Instagram and TikTok if you make it! I love seeing your creations.