Crostini With Eggplant And Pine Nut Purée Food

RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red
• pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.
• While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
• Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.
• Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA CROSTINI

Steps:

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, raisins, pine nuts, garlic, and red-pepper flakes; cook stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, cocoa powder, and sugar; cook, stirring, until tomato paste is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant, vinegar, and 1/3 cup water.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender and mixture is thick, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and more sugar (up to 1 tablespoon), as desired.
• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides bread with olive oil. Grill, turning once, until toasted and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side.
• Top grilled bread with caponata; garnish with basil leaves. Caponata can be refrigerated up to 5 days in an airtight container; let cool completely before storing.

PINE NUT AND DATE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Chop the dates and transfer them to a small skillet. Chop the toasted pine nuts and add them to the skillet along with the wine and honey. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat until the liquid is syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the baguette slices on the rimmed baking sheet and a drizzle each slice with olive oil. Bake until toasted, 6 to 8 minutes (watch closely, as ovens vary).
• Top each toast with 1 tablespoon of the date mixture. Arrange the crostini on a platter and serve.

EGGPLANT CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the eggplant and garlic on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Halve the eggplants and scrape the flesh into a bowl; discard the peel.
• Squeeze the softened garlic cloves into the bowl. Stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on grilled bread and serve.

SIMPLE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on two large rimmed baking sheets; brush both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes (if undersides are not browning, turn crostini over once during baking). Let cool on baking sheets. Top crostini with desired toppings, and serve.

CROSTINI WITH EGGPLANT AND PINE NUT PURéE

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Peel, and trim eggplant, and slice into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with oil, arrange on a sheet pan, and broil about 6 inches from heat until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Turn, and brown the second side. Remove from broiler, and stack slices so they steam to finish cooking.
• Toast pine nuts in a small skillet over low heat, shaking often, until golden. Cool. Using a large mortar and pestle, grind pine nuts with garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Coarsely chop eggplant, add to mixture, and work into a somewhat rough purée with the pestle or in a food processor. Add a little lemon juice to sharpen the flavor. Taste for salt; add more if needed, and season with pepper. Stir in herbs. Spread on baguette slices or crackers, and garnish with a basil leaf.