These simple and delicious starters are always crowd pleasers and so easy to whip in just minutes as the oven does most of the work. Serve piping hot with toasted sourdough or baguette, a glass of your favourite vino, and share with good mates. 🍷
To prepare crostini, slice the bread on a diagonal, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake until golden. Optional, rub toasted crostini with a crushed garlic clove when you remove from the oven.
Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms 'Escargot' 400g mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved or quartered if large 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped 3 large garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3-4 tbsp garlic butter, cut into pieces 2 tsp fresh lemon juice + zest 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 220°C with rack in middle. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper in a shallow baking dish. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in fresh lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately with crostini to soak up the juices.
Recipe Source.
Baked Goat Cheese & Tomato Dip
150-200g goat cheese*, softened (*Feta can be substituted)
1 1/2 - 2 cups of good quality marinara sauce (or use your fav homemade recipe)
Olive oil
Optional Garnishes: fresh basil, halved cherry tomatoes, caramelised onions, kalamata olives, olive or truffle oil
Preheat oven to 220°C with rack in middle. In a small baking dish, drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil, then press the goat cheese to fit the shape of your dish, leaving a few inch border around edge. Gently spoon the marinara around the border, taking care to cover the edge of goat cheese but not the middle. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper. Top with kalamatas or caramelised onions if using. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the goat cheese is lightly browned. Carefully remove from oven, garnish with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and serve immediately with prepared crostini or garlic bread.
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