Arugula Gorgonzola Crostini

Crostini with Arugula, Walnuts, Sun Dried Tomato & Gorgonzola

This is a really easy recipe and it's yummmmmy! Makes me feel like a classy adult every time I make it, eat it and serve it! This can be made ahead and set aside until you're ready to put it into an oven (if overnight, then refrigerate in an airtight container).

What is Crostini?
Crostini is an Italian dish that is now served as an appetizer. In Italian, the word crostini translates to "little toasts". In essence, it's a piece of toasted bread drizzled in butter/oil that is topped off with a few ingredients--in the case of this recipe, walnuts, arugula, gorgonzola, and sun dried tomatoes.

Ingredients:
Butter (at room temperature), or butter substitute
18 (1/4-inch thick) baguette
6 tablespoons toasted and chopped walnuts
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons finely-chopped arugula leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Arugula leaves

Equipment:
Cutting Board
Knife
Baking Sheet
Spoon
Medium Bowl

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Slice baguette into 1/4th inch thick slices
3. Butter one surface of the baguette slice and play on a baking sheet (butter side up)
4. Bake for 10 minutes

While baguette is baking...
5. Chop toasted walnuts (I didn't pre-toast my walnuts, and they were just fine!)
6. Chop Arugula leaves
7. Mix walnuts, arugual leaves and gorgonzola cheese in a medium bowl.

Once baguette's are removed from the oven...
8. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degree's F
9. Using a spoon, press spread the walnut-cheese-arugula mixture on the bread, pressing it with the spoon to make sure it adheres to the surface
10. Bake until cheese melts (approximately 6 minutes)
11. Garnish with sundried tomato (this is optional)