Four Wheat-Free Crostini (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between bruschetta and crostini? ›

The main difference between these two toasts is that crostini is often thinly sliced, while bruschetta is usually served in thicker slices and drizzled with olive oil before it's toasted. The standard topping is diced tomato mixed with olive oil, garlic and Italian herbs—delicious, but a little boring.

The bread can be toasted a few hours in advance of serving. I would not recommend adding the toppings until 10-15 minutes before serving. This way, the bread won't get soggy from the toppings. If you are planning a party where guests will be arriving at different times, you can always make a crostini bar.

Sourdough breads have been touted as a safe option for those who avoid gluten. Many claim that the gluten in wheat sourdough or rye bread is broken down and easier to digest than conventionally produced bread.

The Best Bread for Crostini

A baguette is ideal for crostini, its small surface area is just the right size for these appetizer toasts. Or use a long Italian loaf. The bread doesn't have to be fresh—you're going to dry it out in the oven—so if you have a day-old baguette use it!

Crostini: Meaning "little toasts" in Italian, crostini are small, thin slices of toasted bread, which are usually brushed with olive oil. The word also describes canapés consisting of small slices of toast with a savory topping such as cheese, shrimp, pâté or anchovies.

Sourdough is not gluten free, but we know that many people with IBS, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity can tolerate sourdough bread. This is because the methods used to make sourdough break down some of the gluten in the flour so it is easier to digest. Think of sourdough as low-gluten rather than gluten-free.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat. Having a wheat allergy does not necessarily mean that you need to avoid gluten. Most wheat-free products are gluten-free unless they contain rye, barley or standard oats. Your doctor or dietitian will be able to advise if you need to avoid gluten.

A thin drizzle of oil will help your bread get crispy in the oven. Expect to use about 1 teaspoon of oil for every 8 crostini. The ingredient quality matters. If you have a favorite extra-virgin olive oil, this is a good time to use it.

What qualities one looks for in crostini bread? ›

Texture is very important–it shouldn't be too dense. The bread needs to be thin enough to bite, but thick enough to support toppings -1/2-inch thick is just right. Brush olive oil on each piece before toasting it.

If your crostini seem a bit too hard, put the toppings on a bit in advance. The topping will soften the crostini.

Wheat, barley, and spelt all contain gluten, so Ezekiel bread is out of the question for people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Ezekiel bread is made from whole sprouted wheat, barley, spelt, millet, soybeans, and lentils.

Toasting bread: Gluten levels remained at less than 20 ppm when gluten-free bread was toasted in the same toaster as regular bread, across repeated tests and even when gluten-containing crumbs were present at the bottom of the toaster.

In feeding your child a wheat-free diet, there are many options to choose from, look for alternate grains such as amaranth, barley, buckwheat/kasha, corn, millet, oat, quinoa, rice, rye, sorghum, tapioca, teff.

Bruschetta (pronounced broo-sket-ta) is a slice of bread toasted in the oven or grilled, often rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, tomatoes and salt.

According to the International Culinary Center, the term bruschetta is sometimes used interchangeably with crostini and the Tuscan dish fettunta. In Tuscany, fettunta is usually served without toppings, especially in November, to taste the first oil of the season.

The first has to do with the pronunciation of the word. Many Americans pronounce bruschetta with a short U and a soft SH sound, so that it sounds like a small brush–brushetta. As Chef Luca points out in the video above, a longer U sound and a hard CH are more proper for the Italian word–brewsketta.