If you need to put together a quick appetizer, but want it to look a little fancy, these pate crostini are a great choice. The touch of sweetness from the jam on top pairs perfectly for an easy and tasty bite.
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I'll admit, I'm not typically one to go all out entertaining at the best of times. If we do have friends over, it tends to be for a barbecue or quick meal that works for the kids too.
But now and then, it can be fun to get a little fancy and start with some more finger food options, whether for guests or just because.
Creative crispy bites
Crostini are always one of my favorite choices for finger food as they are a great self-contained morsel. They last a little longer than just one bite, and don't require you to dip, scoop or otherwise have to share or eat awkwardly. Plus, the possibilities on how to top them are pretty endless.
Since the toast in crostini are crisp, I like to have at least part of my topping a little softer. For example with my apple and bacon jam crostini, the jam worked perfectly (let's face it, it's good with anything). Then for my steak crostini, I used some mushroom pate. These ricotta crostini with roasted tomatoes are another tasty option to try.
Here the chicken liver pate I shared not so long ago is the perfect base and adds lots of great flavor too. Since it's pretty rich in flavor, though, it's good to have something to cut through that. And a touch of blackberry jam is just the thing.
Preparing ahead
One other great thing about crostini is you can prepare the toasts in advance then just do a last bit of putting them together when you need them. These are particularly easy as you can either make or buy both the pate and jam ahead of time too. When ready, all you do is spread and spoon them on.
You can add the toppings a little ahead of when you are serving them, but I'd recommend not too long as pate does tend to discolor when exposed to air. Ideally prepare just shortly before serving to look their best.
The combination of crisp toast base, rich smooth pate and sweet and fruit jam are a simple but delicious mix. Super easy and packed with great flavor, these pate crostini with blackberry jam make a fantastic choice for entertaining, or just when you feel like some fancy nibbles.
Try these other tasty finger foods:
- Phyllo crab cups
- Prosciutto wrapped dates
- Chorizo cheese twists
- Baked mussels
- Plus get more appetizer recipes in the archives.
Pate crostini with blackberry jam
Ingredients
- 8 slices baguette best if it's a day old, cut on diagonal in thin slices
- 2 tablespoon olive oil approx
- 4 tablespoon chicken liver pate approx
- 8 teaspoon blackberry jam approx
Instructions
- Lightly brush the slices of bread with olive oil on both sides. Grill/broil the bread on both sides until gently brown and crisp. Watch as you cook as they can easily burn if left just a little too long. These can be prepared a day or two ahead and stored at room temp.
- When ready to serve, spread some pate on each slice of toasted bread and smooth the top. Dollop on some jam in the middle of each slice and serve.
Helen says
Love how easy these are! I hope we are able to get back to entertaining some time this year....
Caroline's Cooking says
Yes, they really are easy! And know what you mean on the entertaining, too.