CROSTINI

Crostini with Ventresca, Piquillo Peppers, and Caper Mayonnaise

Crostini with Salted European-Style Butter, Smoked Sardines, and Pepper Cress

Crostini with Anchovy-Olive Mayonnaise, Hard-Cooked Egg, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Anchovy-Olive Mayonnaise

Crostini with Chunky Eggplant Spread, Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Fresh Chives

Crostini with Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella, and Black Olive Tapenade

Crostini with Aged Goat Cheese, Walnut Oil, and Fresh Thyme

Crostini with Burrata Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes, and Pesto

Crostini with Triple-Crème Cheese, Pear Mostarda, and Fresh Chives

Crostini with Pea Purée, Prosciutto, and Parmesan

Crostini with Smoked Trout, Crème Fraîche, and Dill

Crostini with Soft-Scrambled Egg, Black Olive Tapenade, and Caper-Stuffed Anchovies

Crostini with White Bean Purée, Rosemary Olive Oil, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Artichoke Hearts, and Currant–Pine Nut Relish

Crostini, the plural of crostino, which loosely translates as “toast” in Italian, are essentially small open-faced sandwiches. When I started this book, I hadn’t intended to include them because I felt I’d covered this territory in my Sandwich Book. But as I started accumulating products I liked that I’d used in other dishes, I would think: What could I do with the leftovers? Crostini always came to mind.

Not only are crostini the perfect vehicle for the small quantities of products left over from other dishes (not to mention for day-old bread), they’re one of the few things with which you can use an item straight out of the jar. Just by layering a few ingredients, the combinations were so delicious, I felt like I had to provide the recipes for them. By the end of a year of recipe testing, I had a full chapter.

I made these crostini on La Brea Bakery’s sourdough bâtard, which is a long white loaf similar to a baguette but about twice as wide. I think it’s a nice size for crostini, but you can make them any size you want, depending on how you’re serving them or what kind of bread you have. Baguette slices are a good size for finger food or party canapés. A large slice of toast from a big round loaf makes a substantially sized open-faced sandwich that, with a Tri-Colore Salad (this page), works as a perfect light dinner.

Unlike the other recipes in this book, which all make four servings, these recipes, with a couple of exceptions, make one entrée serving. I constructed the recipes this way because I wanted to use small enough amounts so that you could assemble them from leftovers. Also, my thinking was that if you were serving them to guests, better to make just a few of each kind and to make three or five different kinds of crostini so you can offer an assortment. Of course, the quantities used in any of the recipes can be doubled or quadrupled if you like.

When I make crostini, I like them to look very natural and for all the different layers of ingredients to be seen, so as I add another layer I make it a little uneven, not completely smooth and regular, and I make sure not to completely cover whatever is beneath it. I think this kind of “imperfection” is more beautiful and also more appetizing than something that is so precise it looks as if a machine made it. I also never spread to the edges of the bread, so that a bit of crust stays visible.

Crostini with Ventresca, Piquillo Peppers, and Caper Mayonnaise

Ventresca is canned tuna belly marinated in olive oil. It’s a delicacy in Spain and Italy. I’ve been told that it is traditional to use it only with beans, but it’s so rich and so much moister and more flavorful than regular tuna, I like to use it whenever the tuna is playing a central role, such as in these crostini.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 garlic clove

3 tablespoons Garlic Mayonnaise (this page)

2 teaspoons capers, chopped

4 roasted Piquillo peppers

1 ounce ventresca (see “Tuna”, this page; or any olive oil–packed tuna), lightly drained

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Sea salt

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil, and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re lightly toasted and golden brown. (You can also toast the bread in a toaster, but without the oil. Then brush the toast with oil after they’re done.) Rub the oiled side of the crostini with the garlic and set them on your work surface, oiled side up.

Stir the Garlic Mayonnaise and capers together in a small bowl. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the mayonnaise in an uneven layer on each crostino, dividing it evenly and leaving the edges of the toast visible. Rip the peppers open and lay one pepper on each crostino, lay the tuna on top of the peppers, and sprinkle the crostini with the parsley and a few grains of sea salt.

Crostini with Salted European-Style Butter, Smoked Sardines, and Pepper Cress

In the midst of trying a bunch of Spanish products for this book, I tasted canned sardines for the first time. I liked them so much I knew I had to think of a way to include them in the book. I tried to think of what Gabrielle Hamilton would do with them. They just seemed like something she would use. So this recipe is dedicated to Gabrielle. I hope she approves. Since butter is a central ingredient in these crostini, I call for a high-fat butter, such as domestic Plugrá or any high-quality European variety. I use regular supermarket varieties of smoked sardines, but I do try to find sardines that say “lightly smoked” so the smoky flavor doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the fish.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 garlic clove

3 tablespoons salted, European-style butter, softened just to a spreadable (not oily) consistency

⅛ small red onion, cut through the core and thinly sliced (about 40 slices)

4 fillets canned smoked sardines, backbones removed

24 stems pepper cress or live watercress

Sea salt

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread about 2 teaspoons of butter in an uneven layer on each crostino, leaving the edges of the bread visible. Scatter the onion slices over the butter, dividing them evenly, lay 1 sardine on each, and top with the cress and a few grains of sea salt.

Crostini with Anchovy-Olive Mayonnaise, Hard-Cooked Egg, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

These crostini are all about the hard-cooked eggs, so you have to get them right. For what a perfect hard-cooked egg should look like, see my note for Arugula with Hard-Cooked Eggs, Artichoke Hearts, Tuna, and Charred Tomatoes (this page).

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 garlic clove

1 large egg

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons Anchovy-Olive Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

Sea salt

8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup loosely packed arugula leaves

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the egg in a small saucepan with enough water to cover, salt the water generously, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the egg for about 5 minutes, until the yolk is bright yellow but slightly wet looking (see this page for additional egg information). While the egg is cooking, fill a large bowl with ice water. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg from the hot water when it’s done and immediately plunge it into the ice water to chill. After the egg has cooled, peel and slice it into 8 thin slices with an egg-slicer or cut it into quarters with a large knife.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the mayonnaise in an uneven layer on each crostino, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Place the egg on top of the mayonnaise, and sprinkle it with sea salt. Rip the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces, scatter them over the egg, and top with the arugula leaves.

Anchovy-Olive Mayonnaise

This is a quick and easy version of anchoïade, a traditional French condiment made of anchovies, garlic, and olive oil. It’s delicious dolloped on a steak or seared rare tuna. You could make a simple flavorful light lunch by serving blanched green beans with this mayonnaise drizzled over the top.

MAKES ½ CUP 10 MINUTES

½ cup mayonnaise

3 large garlic cloves, grated or minced (about 1 tablespoon), or more to taste

3 anchovy fillets, smashed with the back of a knife

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons black olive tapenade

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

Stir the mayonnaise, garlic, anchovy fillets, olive oil, olive tapenade, lemon juice, parsley, and kosher salt together in a small bowl. Season with more garlic, lemon juice, or salt to taste.

Crostini with Chunky Eggplant Spread, Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Fresh Chives

Dressed up with a drizzle of good balsamic and a few shavings of Parmesan, this crostini makes an elegant little snack. This recipe makes enough eggplant spread for sixteen crostini—it’s one of those things that is harder to make in smaller batches—but it keeps well in the refrigerator and it’s so delicious, you’ll want to make more than one serving anyway.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 garlic clove

FOR THE EGGPLANT SPREAD

½ cup eggplant appetizer, drained

1½ teaspoons finely chopped Piquillo peppers

1 small garlic clove, grated or minced (about ½ teaspoon)

1 teaspoon lemon-infused olive oil (or high-quality extra-virgin olive oil combined with a pinch of fresh grated lemon zest)

Sea salt

Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge, for shaving

10 fresh chives

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the eggplant spread, combine the eggplant appetizer, Piquillo peppers, garlic, and lemon-infused olive oil in a medium bowl and stir to mix thoroughly.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the eggplant spread in an uneven layer on each crostino, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle balsamic vinegar over the eggplant. Use a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler to cut or shave enough very thin slices from the wedge of Parmesan to scatter a few slices over each of the crostino and use scissors to finely snip about ½ teaspoon of chives over each.

Crostini with Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella, and Black Olive Tapenade

This is a very classic combination of flavors. How good these crostini will be is totally dependent on the creaminess and deliciousness of the mozzarella you use. Look for fresh mozzarella in your local cheese store or the cheese counter of a specialty food store. Ideally, it will have been made the same day or within the last couple of days.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread and for thinning the tapenade if necessary

1 garlic clove

1 heaping tablespoon black olive tapenade

2–4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)

4 ¼-inch-thick slices fresh mozzarella (about 1¼ ounces)

¼ cup loosely packed arugula leaves

High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Sea salt

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

If the tapenade is thick and pastelike, put it in a small bowl and stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until you obtain a loose, spoonable consistency.

Tear the prosciutto slices in half if necessary so you have four slices and rumple one piece of prosciutto onto each crostino, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Place one mozzarella slice on top of each, and spoon a teaspoon of the tapenade over each slice of mozzarella. Scatter the arugula leaves over the crostini and drizzle with the high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and a few grains of sea salt.

Crostini with Aged Goat Cheese, Walnut Oil, and Fresh Thyme

The walnut oil is the key player in this dish. It’s the thing from a jar (or in this case a bottle) that makes this very simple cheese toast into something special. Walnut oil, like all nut oils, can turn rancid quickly, so you’ll want to keep it in the refrigerator and always taste it before using it.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 garlic clove

4 walnut halves

½ teaspoon walnut oil, plus extra for drizzling

Sea salt

4 ounces aged goat cheese, cut into four equal slices about ¼ inch thick

Leaves picked from 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the walnuts from the oven, drizzle them with walnut oil, sprinkle them with sea salt, and toss to coat.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

Place one slice of goat cheese atop each crostino and put them back in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese softens and just starts to melt. Sprinkle the crostini with the thyme leaves, place one walnut half on each crostino, and drizzle them with walnut oil.

Crostini with Burrata Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes, and Pesto

Burrata is cream-filled mozzarella cheese. You’ll find it at specialty food stores and cheese shops, imported from Italy. A few domestic mozzarella makers are also starting to manufacture burrata. If it’s not available where you live, you can use an equal amount of fresh mozzarella or half a cup of fresh ricotta mixed with enough extra-virgin olive oil (and kosher salt to season) to obtain a loose, spoonable consistency.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for the tomatoes, plus extra for brushing the bread

2 garlic cloves (1 whole and 1 grated or minced; about ½ teaspoon)

6 cherry tomatoes, quartered (or 12 small, sweet tomatoes, cut in half)

2 teaspoons basil pesto

Sea salt

4 ¼-inch-thick slices burrata cheese (about 2 ounces; see “Mozzarella”, this page)

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil, and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re lightly toasted and golden brown. (You can also toast the bread in a toaster, but without the oil. Then brush the toast with oil after they’re done.) Rub the oiled side of the crostini with the whole garlic clove and set them on your work surface, oiled side up.

Toss the tomatoes in a small bowl with the olive oil, pesto, and minced garlic, and season them with sea salt.

Place one slice of burrata on each crostino. Scatter the tomatoes over the burrata, dividing them evenly, and drizzle the tomatoes with the pesto re-maining in the bowl.

Crostini with Triple-Crème Cheese, Pear Mostarda, and Fresh Chives

These crostini couldn’t be simpler: a very rich, creamy cheese topped with the bold, sweet contrasting flavor of mostarda. Mostardas are sweet Italian condiments, similar to chutney, that are used to accent cold meat and cheese. They get their name from the fact that they’re traditionally flavored with mustard seed oil. My favorites are those made by Acetaia Leonardi from cherries, figs, strawberries, and, especially, pears. For these crostini, I like to use a triple-crème cheese like Saint André that comes in the shape of a small disk. I cut the disk into little wedge-shaped pieces, which fit perfectly and look really pretty on the crostini.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

4 ounces triple-crème cheese (with the rind on), cut into 4 equal-size pieces

1 heaping tablespoon mostarda

10 fresh chives

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

Place one piece of cheese on each crostino and return them to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is soft and just beginning to melt.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mostarda over each slice of cheese and use scissors to snip about ½ teaspoon of chives over each crostini.

Crostini with Pea Purée, Prosciutto, and Parmesan

Canned peas have kind of a funky color, but I actually like the way they taste. When they’re turned into purée and topped with shaved Parmesan, as they are for these crostini, the color isn’t such an issue. Like the Crostini with White Bean Purée, you’ll have much more purée than you’ll need for four crostini, so you can either quadruple the recipe for the toast, which will use all the purée, or eat the leftover purée with a spoon.

20 MINUTES

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 garlic clove

FOR THE PEA PURÉE

1 15-ounce can French petite peas (about 1½ cups), rinsed and drained

⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove, grated or minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2–4 thin slices prosciutto (depending on their size; about 2 ounces)

Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge, for shaving

High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the pea purée, combine the peas, olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt in a large mortar or bowl and mash them together with a pestle or potato masher until they’re mostly mashed with some peas left whole.

Tear the prosciutto slices in half if necessary so you have four slices and rumple one piece of prosciutto onto each crostino, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pea purée in an uneven layer over the prosciutto, leaving the edges of the prosciutto exposed. Use a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler to cut or shave enough very thin slices from the wedge of Parmesan to scatter a few slices over each of the crostino and drizzle them with high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Crostini with Smoked Trout, Crème Fraîche, and Dill

Smoked fish with crème fraîche and dill is a classic combination. These crostini are like a smoked-fish plate assembled on little toasts. You can find smoked trout at your local fish market or vacuum-packed in specialty food stores.

20 MINUTES

1 ounce smoked trout

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing on the bread

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

1 garlic clove

¼ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus 12 small dill sprigs

1 small shallot, grated or minced (about 1 teaspoon)

Kosher salt

Lemon, for squeezing over the crostini

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Crumble the trout into a small bowl in roughly 1½-inch-long pieces. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, toss, and set it aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Stir the crème fraîche, dill, shallot, and a pinch of kosher salt together in a small bowl.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the crème fraîche mixture in an uneven layer on each crostino, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Divide the trout evenly among the crostini and drizzle the marinade left in the bowl over the trout. Top each crostino with three dill sprigs and a few drops of lemon juice.

Crostini with Soft-Scrambled Egg, Black Olive Tapenade, and Caper-Stuffed Anchovies

These toasts are very hearty. While I think one person could eat four of the crostini in this book, I can’t imagine anyone wanting more than two of these. Anchovies rolled up with capers and marinated in oil look really pretty on top of the eggs, but if you can’t find them, top each crostino with an anchovy fillet stuffed with a caper that you have rolled up yourself.

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread and for thinning the tapenade if necessary

1 garlic clove

1 heaping tablespoon black olive tapenade

4 large eggs

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sea salt

4 caper-stuffed anchovy fillets (or 4 anchovy fillets and 4 capers, rinsed)

High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

5 fresh chives

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

If the tapenade is thick and pastelike, put it in a small bowl and stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until you obtain a loose, spoonable consistency.

Whisk the eggs with the kosher salt in a small bowl. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, pour the eggs into the skillet. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the pan, folding the egg over itself, keeping it continuously moving. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the egg forms large curds but is only very softly scrambled and still wet looking in places.

Pile the scrambled egg on top of the toast, dividing it evenly and leaving the edges of the toast visible. Sprinkle the egg with sea salt, spoon about 1 teaspoon of tapenade on each serving, and top with a caper-stuffed anchovy. Drizzle with the high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and use scissors to snip about ¼ teaspoon chives over each crostino.

Crostini with White Bean Purée, Rosemary Olive Oil, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

I love white bean purée, but I’m also very particular about it. It needs to be slightly chunky, seasoned with plenty of salt, and filled with a pool of olive oil. As long as you do these things, it’s going to be delicious. And starting with canned beans, which I’d never done before writing this book, makes the preparation incredibly easy. Unlike the other recipes in this chapter, this recipe makes sixteen crostini, enough to use up all the white bean purée. I’ve never heard of bottled rosemary-infused olive oil, but my editor, Leyla, says it exists. If you find some and it tastes good, of course you can use it in place of the rosemary olive oil in this recipe.

20 MINUTES

FOR THE ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

16 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 32 slices from a baguette or 8 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread

1 or 2 garlic cloves

FOR THE WHITE BEAN PURÉE

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or borlotti beans, rinsed and drained

1 small garlic clove, grated or minced (about ½ teaspoon)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup loosely packed arugula leaves

Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Sea salt

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the rosemary olive oil, combine the olive oil and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue to gently simmer the oil until the rosemary begins to sizzle. Turn off the heat and let the rosemary steep in the oil while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

To make the white bean purée, combine the beans, ⅔ cup of the rosemary-infused olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt together in a large mortar or bowl and mash them with a pestle or potato masher until they’re mostly mashed but still slightly chunky.

Place a few arugula leaves on each crostino and spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the white bean purée in a generous, uneven layer over the arugula, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Use the back of a small spoon to make a crater in each mound of bean purée and spoon about ½ teaspoon of the rosemary oil into each crater. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the bean purée around each crater, and sprinkle the crostini with sea salt.

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Artichoke Hearts, and Currant–Pine Nut Relish

This was probably the most popular item on the mozzarella menu I served at Jar. For this version, I use prepared artichoke hearts, which means the only thing you have to cook is the relish. These crostini are perfect when prepared as below, but they’re even prettier topped with a thin shaving of Parmesan. This is no reason to go out and buy a wedge, but if you happen to have one on hand, use it.

20 MINUTES

FOR THE CURRANT–PINE NUT RELISH

¼ cup pine nuts

½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup dried currants

½ cup finely chopped red onion or shallots

4 large garlic cloves, grated or minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 dried arbol chile

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 ½-inch-thick slices from a bâtard (or 8 slices from a baguette or 2 slices from a large round rustic white loaf, cut in half)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread and for thinning the ricotta

1 garlic clove

½ cup fresh ricotta

Kosher salt

4 whole marinated artichoke hearts (from the deli case or jarred)

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F.

To make the relish, spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally for even toasting, until they’re lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the nuts from the oven and set them aside to cool slightly.

Combine the balsamic vinegar, currants, onion, garlic, arbol chile, rosemary, and kosher salt together in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering the mixture for about 8 minutes, until it forms a thick and syrupy glaze. Stir in the pine nuts and olive oil and simmer for about 30 seconds longer to infuse the flavors.

Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.

Mix the ricotta in a small bowl with enough olive oil to obtain a loose, spoonable consistency and season with kosher salt to taste.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of ricotta in an uneven layer on each crostino, leaving the edges of the toast visible. Place 1 artichoke heart on each and fan out the leaves of the artichoke hearts to create a sort of flower. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the currant–pine nut relish over each crostino.