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Quick-cook canapé crostini

These really easy canapés have saved the day, not only when (in the very rare event) people drop by my house unannounced, but also when I fancy a quick snack of an evening. It is great to get creative with these: see what is in your cupboard and fridge, throw some ingredients together and experiment! I have used the oven to crisp up the crostini, but they can be put in the toaster or under the grill to get the same effect. If you crisp them up first, they won’t need as much time to cook.

Time from start to finish: 20 minutes

Makes: 24

Equipment: Large baking sheet, 3 small bowls

Crostini bases

1 French baguette

Extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove

Tomato, basil & mint

2 large ripe tomatoes

Extra virgin olive oil

Small handful of fresh basil and mint leaves

Pinch of sugar (optional)

White bean, prosciutto & rocket

100g tinned cannellini beans

2 slices of prosciutto

Small handful of wild rocket

Goat’s cheese, figs & mint with balsamic drizzle

100g soft goat’s cheese

2 fresh figs

Small handful of small fresh mint leaves

Drizzle of balsamic vinegar

1 squidge of honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

+ Preheat the oven to 190°C, (fan 170°C), 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

+ Trim the ends off the baguette and cut it into 24 diagonal slices, about 2cm thick. Place on a large baking sheet, drizzle with oil and bake for 7–8 minutes.

+ In the meantime, prepare the toppings.

+ For the tomato one, roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Drizzle a little oil over, rip up the basil and mint leaves and add them along with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Toss everything together.

+ Then, for the white bean topping, put the cannellini beans in a small bowl, add a good drizzle of oil, season with salt and pepper and then mash roughly with a fork. Cut the slices of prosciutto in half.

+ Finally, for the goat’s cheese crostini, mash the goat’s cheese with a fork in a small bowl and season, then cut the figs into eighths.

+ Remove the crostini from the oven. They should be just crisp. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut edge all over their tops.

+ Now, to assemble, simply spoon the tomato mixture onto eight of the crostini. Arrange the rocket on eight more, dollop the crushed beans on top, then lightly scrunch up the prosciutto and arrange on top of each one. Finally, spread the goat’s cheese over the remaining eight crostini, arrange a couple of pieces of fig on top of each, scatter the mint leaves over and drizzle with a little balsamic and honey.

+ Arrange the crostini on a large serving platter or cake stand and serve.