Low Sodium Crostini With Prosciutto and Pear
A great thing about food is that we often tie into the experience or memory. We remember the location and event where we were eating the food. It is what makes us remember the food more fondly. That is also true with this appetizer. We were at a little bistro in Stillwater, MN sitting on a deck that hangs over the St. Croix River. It was late summer, and we were looking for something light to go with a bottle of Chardonnay. The pear and prosciutto crostini spoke to us. So much so, that it became a go to appetizer when we entertain. In order to keep using it, I had to cut the salt. So today we are here to make our low sodium crostini with prosciutto and pear.
French Bread Is The Foundation
A crostini is not typically a challenging appetizer to make. You put simple fresh ingredients on top of a small toast to deliver a fresh bite. I love to slice up a great crusty bread, rub a little oil on each side, add pepper and roast in the oven, or toss on a grill over medium high heat for a lovely toasted flavor and beautiful grill lines.
French bread that is store bought will cost you 290 mg for 2 1 oz slices. It is one of the easier to make home made breads, and will make your house smell wonderful when baking. It only takes about 5 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to bake. It’s super quick and easy if you have a bread machine.
It is flour, yeast, and warm water. Run the ingredients through the dough setting on your bread machine. Form into 2 baguettes, allow to rise, and bake. You will use this recipe often after you try it once. It is a great way to bring back a good crusty bread that works with our low sodium diets. I love it for breakfast as Sweet Toasts with my Cuban Coffee. Or to dunk in my Guinness Beef Stew.
Elevating Simple Ingredients
Simple ingredients can be made to taste very sophisticated with a little love and care. These crostini are fairly simple. Pears and Swiss cheese on French bread. The love we are adding, is wrapping the pears in a piece of lower sodium prosciutto and a killer honey-red onion-balsamic reduction.
Prosciutto is normally over the top for sodium, but we were over the top thrilled to find a new line of nitrate and nitrite free charcuterie. It is made by Mount Olive and is coming to grocers near you. I recommend that you request your local grocer to order it if your store doesn’t stock it.
The Recipe For Crostini With Prosciutto And Pear
Low Sodium Crostini With Prosciutto And Pear
Ingredients
For The Low Sodium French Bread
- 3 1/2 cups Bread Flour No Sodium Flour
- 1 1/4 oz packet Active Dry Yeast
- 1 1/4 cups Warm Water
For The Low Sodium Crostini With Prosciutto And Pear
- 1 Baguette French Bread sliced into 12 slices
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp Black Pepper fresh ground
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Red Onion Finely minced
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/3 lb Prosciutto Lower Sodium
- 1 Pear cored and sliced into 1/2" slices
- 2 oz Block Swiss Cheese Cut into 2" x 2" x 1/2" thick slices
- 1 tbsp Basil finely chopped
Instructions
To Make The Low Sodium French Bread
- Per instructions for your bread machine, add the flour, yeast, and water to the pan and start the machine on the dough setting
- When complete, remove the dough from the machine with floured hands and place on a floured surface. Cut the dough in half and roll and form the bread into two equal 12" long baguette loaves.
- Place the loaves on a greased baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let the dough rise until double in size. (about an hour)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the loaves on the center rack for 25-30 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
To Make The Low Sodium Crostini With Prosciutto And Pear
- Preheat the broiler of the oven.
- In a small saucepan add 1 T oil, balsamic vinegar, red onions, and honey and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow mixture to reduce and thicken.
- Lay bread slices on a baking sheet and brush with oil. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and place on the top rack in the oven to toast side for 2 minutes and remove.
- Flip the bread over, brush with oil, season with pepper. Add slices of Swiss cheese, and return to oven.Toast until cheese is melted.
- Wrap the pear slices with the prosciutto and place atop the cheese. Drizzle the vinegar reduction over the Crostini.
- Garnish with finely chopped fresh basil and serve.
Nutrition
I received samples of the lower sodium prosciutto from Mount Olive. The recipe opinions and ideas are all my own. Some links may be affiliate links and proceeds from purchases may go towards the production of this blog. As always thanks for any purchases you make.