Bruschetta, crostini: How do they differ?

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

A reader named Joanne recently asked us what is the difference between bruschetta and crostini?

Both are Italian. Both are made with bread. And both are toasted. And though quite similar, they are not the same thing. Well, not exactly.

Crostini, as defined by Katie Caldesi in Cook Italy, is “small toasted breads topped with a variety of ingredients and eaten as Antipasti.” (Antipasti is an appetizer.)

Bruschetta differs in that the bread is rubbed with garlic and brushed with olive oil and is frequently grilled. Bruschetta, as Lidia Bastianich explains in her book Lidia’s Italy in America, after its arrival in the United States morphed into what we Americans know as garlic bread.

So looking at it that way, bruschetta could be considered a type of crostini, although not all crostini is bruschetta.

Jackie Robbins shares this tip for avoiding gummy rice:

“I learned the secret from my mother-in-law and her cook when I lived in South America. The secret? Equal portions of rice to water (a bit more water when preparing brown rice), a pinch of salt, a splash of olive oil and a dab of garlic. Bring mixture to a boil, turn down the burner, cover and cook about 20 minutes. Do not peek until time is nearly up. Stir a bit with a fork, re-cover and cook until al dente.”

We haven’t received a recipe for grits casserole made with cream cheese and cheddar cheese for our Heber Springs reader, but we did get two tasty-sounding baked grits recipes. We think it would be easy enough to substitute cream cheese for some of the cheese called for in these recipes.

First up is this one from Jo Jacobs.

Garlic Cheese Grits 1 cup grits 4 ½ cups boiling water 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) butter◊tube garlic cheese 2 eggs Milk Cracker crumbs Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook grits in boiling water according to package directions, adding salt. Stir in butter and garlic cheese; set aside.

Beat eggs in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup. Add to grits mixture.

Pour into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle crackers over top and bake 45 minutes.

Barbara Sue Turner shares this version which includes the option of chopped green chiles from Southern to the Core: An Evins’ Family Cookbook by Karlen Evins.

Fancy Classy Grits 1 ¼ cups instant grits 5 cups water ½ cup sour cream 1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild

green chiles, optional 2 tablespoons butter, softened 2 eggs ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon ground black

pepper ½ cup shredded cheddar

cheese ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese Cook grits in water according to package instructions.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cooked grits, sour cream, chiles (if using) and butter in a large bowl and mix well. Add eggs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Spoon mixture into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Swiss cheese on top. Bake 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings.

REQUEST Cup custard, plain with nutmeg on top for Leslee Young.

Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; e-mail: [email protected] Please include a daytime phone number.