I love crostini….but if I have to be 100% honest – it is that I love toasted bread, and that is exactly what crostini is! With the addition of a drizzle of olive oil, garlic and maybe even a topping. When I would come home from track practice in middle school, I could eat half a loaf of bread toasted and slathered with butter, sugar, and cinnamon or maybe my own homemade chokecherry jelly (which spilled all over the kitchen carpet and ended my childhood days of making anything with deep red stainability). Onmornings of track meets when I needed a huge reservoir of energy, and needed to prepare it and eat it at 4:30 AM, I would reach for toasted bread once again – this time as a grilled cheese,. The toppings for edamame crostini include a smooth, rich tasting, homemade ricotta cheese.

Scald 8 cups of whole milk. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and allow to sit to make curds and whey. When curds form, carefully strain through cheesecloth until ricotta is the consistency you want. For more information on making fresh cheese, see recipe for Fresh Ricotta Cheese.

Edamame Crostini

1   baguette, sliced at an angle

2     cloves of garlic

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

¾ cup cooked edamame beans

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

zest of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon basil, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay bread slices on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Rub with garlic. Toast bread for about 2 to3 minutes. Remove from oven and spread each with a layer of ricotta cheese. Combine  remaining ingredients and lightly mash together with a fork or potato masher. You want some of the edamame to be smashed and some to still be intact. Top toasted bread with edamame mixture. Garnish with more lemon zest, Parmesan cheese and radish.

Mushroom Crostini

Follow recipe for Edamame Crostini except substitute fresh, grilled or sauteed mushrooms and Aspargus for Edamame.