Bagel Crostini...When You Are In A Pinch

Bagel Crostini...When you are in a pinch, and you need some sort of cracker/bread for a dip, bagel crostinis come in very handy. I thought I would share this rather quick and easy recipe for bagel crostini. Actually, it is not much of a recipe at all. Just plain old toasted bagel bites. But, it comes in rather handy when you have a dip of some sort and need some bread to go alongside. It was that way with me, when I recently made the Ajvar spread. I didn't have any baguettes, nor any crackers(though I felt I needed something more substantial than crackers). I also did not want to go to the store to buy the crostini. So, I searched through my freezer... a thought crossed my mind when I spotted a couple of bagels. Why not make bagel crostini?...and so I did. I was surprised how many slices I got out of just one bagel...so, this is economical as well. For this post, I left my bagel slices plain. Feel free to brush the bagel slices with some melted butter/oil and add any seasoning you like, rub some garlic on the slices or sprinkle some Parmesan cheese. They are great as a base for bruschetta, for baked artichoke dip, spinach dip, mini pizza bites, etc.... I hope you will enjoy this rather quick tip...it saved me from going to the store:)

You will need:

1 large bagel

dried herb seasoning(Italian would be good)

garlic(optional)

Parmesan, shredded(optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Cut bagel in half.

Start cutting slices from each half. You will notice that not all the slices will be perfect circles. That is ok...they still taste great.Just try to cut the slices the same thickness...this will ensure that the slices will toast at the same time. If some slices are thinner they will toast earlier than others. And, you have to take them out sooner so that they won't burn.

You can, at this point, brush the bagel slices with some melted butter and add seasoning/Parmesan cheese... if you like. Place the slices on a cookie sheet. Do not overlap. Bake until golden brown. I forgot to time mine(sorry)...but I would guess it would be anywhere from 5 -8 minutes. Be careful not to over bake...they can easily burn towards the end. It is better to have them lightly toasted than burned. Keep an eye on them.