An impromptu feast of bruschetta and savoury toasts

Quick and tasty recipes

When we think of a savoury toast, it’s always the original bruschetta that comes to mind: a homemade tomato sauce, a little ricotta or mozzarella and a sprig of basil for flavour and colour...

While unquestionably tempting, it’s perhaps a little unoriginal!

When it comes to savoury toasts, there’s room for reinvention.

Anything goes!

Let’s start with the base for the toasts. Homemade spreads are much easier to make that you might think, all you need is a food processor!

Take a simple base, such as olives, avocado, carrots, chickpeas or even aubergines and (once cooked) process them with your choice of flavourings.

Curry, cumin, lemon, mint – play around with the flavours and present them beautifully to delight the whole crowd.

Another equally simple idea is recipes using fish! A tin of tuna or white fish, a little cream cheese, lemon, a few herbs and you’re done. Serve on little round toasts or good-quality toasted country bread, alongside a Chardonnay or Sauvignon, for the perfect marriage!

And for something a little more sophisticated...

Once you’ve made your base, you can enjoy as it is on toasts, for example, or you can add some extra sophistication with vegetables, good-quality cured meats, cheese or fresh herbs.

An olive tapenade really comes into its own with a few fresh cherry tomatoes and parmesan shavings. A carrot spread becomes truly unbeatable when you add cured ham or fresh goat’s cheese and a few pumpkin seeds.

As you can see, anything goes. And for a truly perfect meal, opt for a wine that is easy to pair with the toasted notes and the Mediterranean accents of the spreads, such as a Pinot Noir or a wine from the Languedoc."