Being able to spontaneously invite friends over for aperitivo is one of summer’s great pleasures. Low-key, intimate and stress-free — this is what summertime is all about.
Despite what many will have you think, having people over doesn’t have to be stressful or cost a lot of money. Having a pre-prepared appetiser on standby is one of the easiest ways to mitigate stress — you can throw something together that looks and tastes fabulous in just a couple of minutes, thanks to some forward thinking.
We love to keep some toasted crostini in a sealed container in the pantry for just this reason. An elegantly toasted slice of baguette is the perfect conduit for many delicious toppings. Knowing how to elevate everyday ingredients to make them feel special is such an easy shortcut to success.
Take the humble can of beans, for example — by blitzing up a can of cannellini beans with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, you get a lovely creamy puree that provides the base for our cannellini crostini. This is then topped with salsa verde to add a pop of colour and some bright herbaceous flavour. You can use parsley or rocket here — make sure it’s finely hand-chopped so you still get some texture. If you don’t like anchovies, use extra capers in their place. You can have the crostini, puree and salsa verde pre-prepared, and assemble just before serving.
Our second recipe is for some gorgeous zucchini ribbons with burrata and lemon. The star of the show is the zucchini, one of summer’s most bountiful (and affordable) vegetables. Here, tender ribbons of zucchini are gently sauteed in olive oil until soft and infused with garlic, lemon and chilli, making for a perfect match with creamy burrata. This is also fab with crumbled feta or goat cheese as a more affordable option. We love to serve this gorgeous dish with tender focaccia (Brownie points if you make it yourself, visit langbein.com for a recipe for crusty flatbread).
And lastly, remember to have fun and relax — if you burn the crostini or forget to add an ingredient, it’s not the end of the world. The most important thing is that you’re together, enjoying each other’s company.
With love,
Annabel & Rose xxx
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Cannellini crostini with anchovy salsa verde
Crunchy bread, a creamy garlicky bean puree and the sharp tang of salsa verde come together wonderfully in this effortless appetiser inspired by the flavours of southern Italy. We love a good crostini — the perfect party pass-around, and so cheap and easy to make (especially when there’s no cheese involved). To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.
Serves 8-10 as a starter
Ready in 20 mins
Suitable fo rDF GF RSF
Ingredients
1 baguette, thinly sliced on an angle
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
flaky sea salt
Cannellini Puree
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Anchovy Salsa Verde
packed ¼ cup finely chopped parsley or rocket
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
8 anchovies, finely chopped
2 Tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Method
For the crostini, preheat your oven to 180ºC fanbake. Arrange sliced baguette on an oven tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and bake until golden and crisp (20 minutes). Remove and allow to cool completely. Stored in an airtight container, these will keep for about a week and can be re-crisped in a hot oven for 5 minutes.
To make the puree, place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz to combine. You can also use a narrow jar and a handheld blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the salsa verde, place all ingredients except the lemon juice in a bowl and mix well to combine. When you’re ready to serve, add the lemon juice. (Lemon juice will oxidize and dull the verdant green in the salsa if you leave it to sit for more than half an hour.)
To assemble crostini, smear each crostini with a little puree and top with a spoonful of anchovy salsa verde. Serve immediately.
Zucchini ribbons with burrata and lemon
Rose’s good friend Emily often makes this gorgeous zucchini dish as a starter. It’s fabulous with fresh focaccia or toasted sourdough. The zucchini mixture is also delicious tossed through hot pasta and finished with dollops of burrata or crumbled feta if you want to take this in another direction.
Serves 4 as a starter
Ready in 10 mins
Suitable for GF RSF V
Ingredients
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra to serve
3 zucchinis
finely grated zest of one lemon
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 Tbsp finely chopped basil, mint, or parsley, plus extra to garnish
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1×125g ball burrata
fresh focaccia or toasted sourdough, to serve
Method
Top and tail zucchinis. Use a vegetable peeler to slice into long ribbons. Stop once you reach the seeded core (you can grate this and use it to make zucchini fritters another time).
Heat two Tbsp of the oil in a large heavy pan over medium-low heat. Add sliced zucchini and cook until softened but not falling apart (five minutes). Push the mixture to one side of your pan and pour the remaining oil into the empty space. Add half of the lemon zest, the grated garlic and chilli flakes, allow it to sizzle for a few seconds.
Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool before you stir through the chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spread the zucchini mixture out on to a serving platter and place the round of burrata in the middle. Gently tear open the burrata and drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper and finish with the remaining lemon zest.
Garnish with additional herbs. Serve alongside fresh focaccia or toasted sourdough, allowing everyone to build their own crostini.
