Italian Crostini with Roasted Garlic, Tomato and Mozzarella Recipe
Hearty baked crostini inspired by Italian cuisine: sweet roasted garlic, juicy tomatoes and stretchy mozzarella on crunchy bread. Perfect for a movie night instead of classic pizza.
Italian crostini with roasted garlic, tomato and mozzarella are something between bruschetta and mini baked baguettes – they have a crunchy base and stretchy cheese, but taste much lighter than pizza. Roasted garlic adds a deep, sweet aroma that pairs beautifully with juicy tomatoes. It’s a snack that instantly brings to mind the vibe of an Italian aperitivo, only in a version you can make in your home oven.
Chef's tips
Lightly toast the bread on one side first before adding the toppings – this way the base will stay crisp and won’t get soggy from the tomato juices. Roast the garlic wrapped in foil or in a small ovenproof dish with a little olive oil until it’s as soft as a spreadable paste you can easily smear on the slices. It’s also a good idea to pat the mozzarella dry on a paper towel so the crostini don’t release too much liquid in the oven.
How to serve
Serve them on a large board as the main dish for a movie night instead of ordering pizza, with a bowl of green salad and a small bowl of olives. They also go perfectly with a glass of dry prosecco or a light red wine when you’re having friends over. If you’re making them for a party, prepare everything in advance and bake just before the guests arrive.
Ingredients
- baguette or other white bread approx. 250 g - 1 piece
- mozzarella grated or torn - 200 g
- tomatoes fairly firm - 2 piece
- head of garlic small - 1 piece
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- dried oregano - 0.5 teaspoons
- fresh basil chopped or torn - 1 handful
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat).
- Cut the top off the head of garlic to expose the tips of the cloves. Place it on a piece of aluminium foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lightly salt and wrap into a tight parcel.
- Put the garlic parcel in the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the cloves are as soft as butter.
- Slice the baguette diagonally into slices about 1.5 cm thick. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Dice the tomatoes finely, removing the hard cores. Transfer to a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix.
- Remove the roasted garlic from the oven, let it cool slightly, then squeeze the soft cloves out of their skins into a small bowl. Mash with a fork into a paste.
- Spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of the roasted garlic paste.
- Top each slice with a spoonful of diced tomatoes, then sprinkle with mozzarella.
- Drizzle everything with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the tray with the crostini in the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden and the edges of the bread are crisp.
- After removing from the oven, sprinkle the crostini with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Storage
Baked crostini taste best straight from the oven, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat briefly in a hot oven or on a dry pan to crisp them up again.
I always make these crostini when we’re planning a movie marathon and I don’t want to spend the whole evening in the kitchen – I prep a tray and then just pop in another batch every now and then. The kids treat them like “mini pizzas” and everyone picks their favourite combo of tomatoes and cheese.
