Name: Toaster-Oven Baked Crostini with Onion Jam and Brie
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 (8-inch) piece baguette , cut into 16 slices; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; ⅓ cup onion jam; 1 (8-ounce) wheel firm Brie cheese, cut into 16 equal pieces; ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt; ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper; 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Why This Recipe Works

Your toaster oven can make homemade, delightful appetizers, perfect for entertaining without the hassle of commandeering your main oven. Additionally, toaster ovens are able to turn themselves off when they finish cooking, ensuring you never burn your appetizers while socializing. We imagined these rustic yet elegant crostini as the perfect finger food to throw together in your toaster oven for an impromptu cocktail party or when you’ve already got dinner in the oven. We developed a few options that aimed to maximize the functions of the toaster oven. We started by lightly toasting sturdy baguette slices, brushed with olive oil. Next, we spread each toast with a savory or sweet-savory base, and topped it with a piece of cheese. A brief stint back in the oven—on the middle rack to avoid scorching but using the broil function to melt the cheese—yielded a crisp toast, a gently warmed base, and a delectably creamy topping. We garnished our crostini with brightly flavored flourishes.

Before You Begin

Look for a baguette that is roughly 3 inches in diameter. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, slices may be tightly packed onto sheet. If onion jam is not available, you can substitute fig jam or apricot jam.

Instructions

Adjust toaster oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of baguette slices with oil and arrange in single layer on small rimmed baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove sheet from oven, select highest broiler function, and heat broiler. Once crostini are cool enough to handle, spread 1 teaspoon onion jam on each crostini and top with 1 piece Brie. Broil crostini until Brie is melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer crostini to serving platter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chives. Serve warm.