Parmesan Sourdough Toasts Recipe
An Easy Appetizer Recipe to Serve with Soup, Salad, or Stew
Feb 22, 2008
Sometimes, it’s the little touches that make a meal memorable. And that’s certainly what will happen when you prepare and serve these delicious Parmesan Sourdough Toasts.
The recipe yields a lot of pieces, and quickly. But you’ll be surprised at how fast the toasts go, and how quickly you set out to make another batch.
What’s so good about them? They present an ideal combination of crunch, cheesy richness, and toasty bread flavor.
Plus, there are so many ways you can serve them. Make a batch to offer alongside salads, soups, chili, or stews. Or serve them at an appetizer party for dipping or spreading.
In fact, these are ideal when transformed into bases for the popular Italian appetizer known as bruschetta. Arrange the toasts on a platter and top them in one of the following ways:
- sliced sun-ripened tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves
- roasted bell pepper strips with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
- fresh, creamy goat cheese with fresh basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto
- oil-packed Italian tuna tossed with capers, lemon juice, and minced red onion
- thinly shaved prosciutto, maybe with a dollop of fig preserves
- thinly sliced smoked salmon with lemon juice and snipped chives
- cooked baby bay shrimp lightly mixed with mayonnaise, lemon zest, and minced fresh herbs
Or use your own imagination!
Parmesan Sourdough Toasts
Makes about 48 pieces
- 1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 2 cups)
- 1 long sourdough loaf, about 12 inches long and 3 to 4 inches in diameter
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, use a fork to mash together the butter and cheese until smoothly blended. Set aside.
- With a sharp serrated bread knife, cut the loaf diagonally into slices 1/4 inch thick.
- With a table knife, spread the butter-cheese mixture generously on one side of each bread slice, placing the slices side by side, buttered side up, on baking sheets.
- Bake, in batches if necessary, until the toasts are crisp and golden-brown, about 12 minutes. Serve immediately in a napkin-lined basket.
For an even more outrageously good flavor, add 1 or 2 cloves of garlic to the butter-cheese mixture. Peel the cloves and press them through a garlic press into the bowl with the butter and Parmesan cheese before you mash the ingredients together in step 2 above.
These toasts go especially well with recipes for Chicken Breast White Bean Chili, Chili Dog Chili, and Sirloin Steak-Lover’s Chili. Give one of them a try!
