By Emma Cerulli
What better way to celebrate Mom, than with a delicious meal and a blushing bottle of rosé?
This pairing made in heaven is the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day. These gorgeous crostini are made of toasted baguette topped with fluffy ricotta cheese, a fragrant pea mash, and glass-like shards of prosciutto crisps. These chic crostini can be served as appetizers while everyone sips on the extraordinary, petal pink L’Exubérance rosé du Clos Cantenac. This heavenly wine tastes like lemon sherbet and smells like fresh apples, fennel, and white fruits. It is the perfect wine for a leisurely Mother’s Day brunch with your loved ones.
Ingredients
- 4 slices French baguette, cut on a bias at 1-inch thickness
- 3 tbsp. Extra-Virgin olive oil
- 4 thin slices Prosciutto
- 2 c. garden peas, fresh or frozen.
- 1 French shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 chives, finely chopped (keep fine tips uncut for garnish)
- 2 mint springs, finely chopped (keep tiny leaves for garnish)
- 4-5 watercress branches, finely chopped (keep tiny branches for garnish)
- 2 tbsp. almonds, roughly chopped
- 1/2 lemon, zest, and juice
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 c. (250g) fresh ricotta cheese
Directions
Step 1
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
- Put the slices of baguette on the baking sheet, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Slide into the oven and set the timer for 8 minutes.
- The baguette should be lightly browned, crisp on the outside, yet still tender in the middle.
Step 3
- Lay the prosciutto slices on the other baking sheet and slide them into the oven with the baguette.
- After 8 minutes, check to see if the baguette is lightly browned and the prosciutto is crispy. You may need an additional 2 minutes on the prosciutto.
Step 4
- Heat 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Step 5
- Lightly brown the shallot, before adding the minced garlic.
- Cook the garlic until just starting to brown, about 30 seconds.
Step 6
- Pour in the peas with 1/2 cup of water.
- Bring the peas to a gentle simmer and cook until tender. This should take about 5-6 minutes. If you overcook the peas, they will lose their beautiful green colour.
Step 7
- Off the heat, mash the peas with a potato masher until they are all mushed and chunky.
Step 8
- Dump the chopped herbs, lemon zest, almonds, and lemon juice into the warm peas and mix well.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 9
- Spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta over the toasted baguette. If you used a smaller baguette, you can serve two per person and divide the ricotta accordingly.
Step 10
- Spoon a generous amount of the peas over the ricotta. You’ll want to create a mound and press it into place so the topping doesn’t go anywhere.
Step 11
- Break the prosciutto into shards and arrange them on each crostini. I like them to be standing like little flags sticking out out the topping.
Serve!
- Garnish the crostini with the reserved herbs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. You can crack some fresh pepper over each crostini if you would like.
- Serve the crostini warm or at room temperature.
- Pop open an impressive magnum of L’Exubérance rosé du Clos Cantenac (lot 3423) and cheers! to the wonderful women in your life.
Emma Cerulli is a Montreal-based chef and Creative Director. Her passion for cooking began in her family kitchen and grew into a fulfilling and challenging career. Emma has worked in some of Montreal’s top kitchens.