Sometime in 2005, my husband read a New York Times review of The Silver Spoon – an Italian cookbook which was due to make its debut in the English language that October. Il Cucchiaio d’Argento was originally published in 1950 by Phaidon and is considered to be Italy’s culinary bible, much like America’s The Joy of Cooking or Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.I received The Silver Spoon as a Valentine’s gift in 2006.
Now some people may find it thoughtless for a husband to purchase his wife a cookbook as a gift, especially for Valentine’s Day. I didn’t. That being said, The Silver Spoon is a 1,263 page tome with over 2,000 recipes. It includes very few pictures and weighs six pounds. When I received this book, my son was 16 months old, we had recently moved into a new house. I just didn’t have the time or energy to tackle this bestial cookbook, but my husband did. He found a simple recipe called Sausage Crostini (Crostini Con Salsiccia). I was wary of the taleggio (a stinky, pungent cow’s milk cheese from Italy) but I gave it a whirl. When we took the crostini out of the oven, the result was perfectly caramelized cheese melded with perfectly browned sausage on perfectly toasted bread. We couldn’t stop eating them and wished for more. For you non-believers, taleggio loses its funk and mellows out when melted, resulting in a mild and fruity taste. Trust me.
My husband and I call these Sausage Toasts.For us, it’s easier and quicker to say than Sausage Crostini or Crostini Con Salsiccia. When we entertain friends and family, this hors d’oeuvre is always the first to go. The original recipe calls for combining Italian sausage with fennel seeds. Instead, I use Premio brand sweet Italian sausage, which already includes fennel seeds. I’ll do anything to save an extra step.
Sausage Toasts
Print Recipe
This is a simple and delicious recipe from The Silver Spoon cookbook. This hors d'oeuvre can easily be prepped up to 6 hours before your guests arrive: assemble all of the ingredients, spread on bread slices, stack on a plate, cover and refrigerate. Just as your first guests arrive, pop the first batch in the oven. This gives you time to greet your guests and enjoy a cocktail with them.
TIPS: Chilling the taleggio in the freezer will make it infinitely easier to slice and dice the cheese. If you can't find Premio brand sweet Italian sausage, use 1 pound of your favorite Italian sausage and combine with 1-2 tablespoons fennel seeds. This recipe can easily be halved (or doubled).
This is a simple and delicious recipe from The Silver Spoon cookbook. This hors d'oeuvre can easily be prepped up to 6 hours before your guests arrive: assemble all of the ingredients, spread on bread slices, stack on a plate, cover and refrigerate. Just as your first guests arrive, pop the first batch in the oven. This gives you time to greet your guests and enjoy a cocktail with them.
TIPS: Chilling the taleggio in the freezer will make it infinitely easier to slice and dice the cheese. If you can't find Premio brand sweet Italian sausage, use 1 pound of your favorite Italian sausage and combine with 1-2 tablespoons fennel seeds. This recipe can easily be halved (or doubled).
Remove casings from sausage and add to a large mixing bowl. Cut up the cheese into 1/4" cubes and add to sausage. Combine the sausage and cheese together but don't over mix.
Slice bread 1/4 inch thick and cut into bite-sized pieces (approximately 2-inches square).
Spread the mixture on the slices of bread and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden and crusty.
Arrange on a platter and serve immediately while still very hot.
Recipe Notes
* Note: If you can't find Premio brand sweet Italian sausage, use 1 pound of your favorite Italian sausage and combine with 1-2 tablespoons fennel seeds.
Now some people may find it thoughtless for a husband to purchase his wife a cookbook as a gift, especially for Valentine’s Day. I didn’t. That being said, The Silver Spoon is a 1,263 page tome with over 2,000 recipes. It includes very few pictures and weighs six pounds. When I received this book, my son was 16 months old, we had recently moved into a new house. I just didn’t have the time or energy to tackle this bestial cookbook, but my husband did. He found a simple recipe called Sausage Crostini (Crostini Con Salsiccia). I was wary of the taleggio (a stinky, pungent cow’s milk cheese from Italy) but I gave it a whirl. When we took the crostini out of the oven, the result was perfectly caramelized cheese melded with perfectly browned sausage on perfectly toasted bread. We couldn’t stop eating them and wished for more. For you non-believers, taleggio loses its funk and mellows out when melted, resulting in a mild and fruity taste. Trust me.
My husband and I call these Sausage Toasts. For us, it’s easier and quicker to say than Sausage Crostini or Crostini Con Salsiccia. When we entertain friends and family, this hors d’oeuvre is always the first to go. The original recipe calls for combining Italian sausage with fennel seeds. Instead, I use Premio brand sweet Italian sausage, which already includes fennel seeds. I’ll do anything to save an extra step.
