Mex-Itali Prosciutto and Guacamole Crostini |

Here’s a quick and flavorful canape perfect for a cocktail party, or something savory for when it’s Girls Night Out at your house. Try this little gem. Serve it alongside a platter of Kalamata olives with cheese and crackers – it completes the flavor cycle.

♥♥♥ HERE’S WHY I LIKE IT: crunch from both the baguette and water chestnut; creaminess of the cheese; rich, and tangy guacamole, and of course the satiny texture of the thinly cut prosciutto. Three different flavors, and three different textures, all in one bite-sized appetizer!

Ingredients:

1 french bread baguette

6 thin slices of Italian Prosciutto

1 can sliced water chestnuts

1/2 cup goat cheese

Fresh guacamole (founds in deli section)

Chives

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Method

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

1. Slice baguette into thin slices and place on baking sheet that you have covered with a thin layer of EVOO. Lay down all the slices and mush them around the olive oil. Flip them over and put in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

2. Remove baking sheet from oven, turn over the slices and let cool about 5 minutes. Spread a half-teaspoon of goat cheese on each slice; top with prosciutto (the prosciutto is very thin so you can easily tear off a bit the size of the crostini); add one slice of water chestnut on top and drizzle olive oil on all the canapes. Put back into 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes more, until edges start to brown, the cheese is melting, and the prosciutto starts to curl up a bit on the edges.

3. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and add a dollop of guacamole on the water chestnut. Sprinkle some kosher salt on top and chopped chives. If you are not fond of guacamole you can substitute it with pesto.

NOTE: I usually make my own guacamole because I like it chunky and I can add exactly what I like (tomatoes, onion, garlic, bacon, etc). But since I wanted the guacamole to be smooth, I just used store-bought – there are sooooo many really tasty freshly made guacamole in the deli section these days I can’t resist.