Part of my summer entertaining manifesto is to keep everything as simple as possible, while still delivering big and impressive tastes to my guests. We host quite a lot of dinners and social gatherings in the summer months, and I’m always on the look out for easy-to-execute lip-smacking appetizers to make for my visitors. These tartines fit the bill perfectly.
While the name sounds highly impressive, tartines are really nothing more than slices of buttered bread topped with a little something. It can be as simple as some store-bought jam and a slice of aged cheddar, or fresh produce that’s paired with fragrant herbs and oils.
I recently opted for the latter, and they were the hit of the meal. The lightly buttered bread was grilled and covered with two different toppings: chopped avocado, lime juice and fresh cracked pepper, and sweet tomatoes, bocconcini cheese and fresh basil. There is no recipe for these, just use what you have on hand and adjust the seasonings to taste. I like to drizzle a little olive oil over my avocado mixture, and kosher salt really heightens the flavour of the fresh tomatoes and cheese.
When it comes to back-pocket recipe ideas, this one is currently sitting within easy reach, and I wouldn’t hesitate to make a platter of these just for dinner for the family when it seems far too hot to cook.
What are your favourite appetizers for summer entertaining?
Tagged under: appetizer,tartines,tartine recipe,entertaining recipe
Category: entertaining
