radish and pea shoot crostini.

it’s that time of year when crostini begins to appear on our dinner menu with almost embarrassing frequency. our neighborhood grocery knows what kind of baguette we prefer and by this point, when we walk in the door they’re already wrapping one in brown paper.

this can’t be helped. at the end of a hot day all i want is the crisp crunch of crostini topped with fresh vegetables. lately, it’s radishes and pea shoots.

to make them is super easy: slice up a baguette. (i like to cut rounds on the diagonal to make them slightly larger than they would be otherwise). rub a bit of olive oil on both sides of the baguette rounds and toast in the oven until they’re just golden. as they cool, toss a bit of olive oil and lemon juice into sliced up radishes and pea shoots. a sprinkle of sea salt is delightful, but the radishes pack enough of a punch that you can forgo the pepper.

once the toasts are cooled, top each with a spoonful of fresh ricotta and add the dressed veggies. it’s the simplest thing to make at home, and you can gloat from the comfort of our own kitchen table about the fact that you didn’t just spend three dollars per piece. though, truth be told, sometimes crostini at a sidewalk cafe with a chilled glass of white wine is really the thing you need.

what are your favorite crostini additions? i’m always looking for something new to add to the rotation.