This recipe comes from Rome native Elizabeth Minchilli, acclaimed blogger, nine-time cookbook author, and Italian food tour host (alongside her daughter, Sophie). This crostini was published in her 2019 book The Italian Table: Creating Festive Meals for Family and Friends.
I had these clever little crostini while sailing across the Venetian lagoon on an antique fishing boat. Mauro Stoppa is both the captain as well as the chef of the charming boat, the Eolo, which takes visitors out to explore the far reaches of the lagoon. As we headed off, he popped open a bottle of prosecco and handed around a plate of these crostini to nibble on. Rather than slices of fresh bread he uses mini friselle, a type of twice-baked bread, which are really little crisp crackers. If you can’t find friselle, then you can substitute any sort of rustic, thick cracker.
Try serving alongside Prosciutto & Parmesan Twists, Sausage & Cheese-Stuffed Fried Olives, and an Aperol Spritz for a perfect aperitivo hour at home.
Recipe excerpted with permission from The Italian Table: Creating Festive Meals for Family and Friends. Copyright © 2019 by Elizabeth Minchilli. Published by Rizzoli.
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 medium white onion
1 large organic, unsprayed lemon (if using a conventional lemon, scrub and dry well)
½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, plus 12 more for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 mini friselle, rusks, or other type of rustic cracker
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