I always make up a large batch of these to have around for quick hors
d'oeuvres to serve with cheese or dips, or to serve alone as snacks. They
have endless uses (although they are excellent by themselves): serve with
soup, broken up and sprinkled on salad; serve with a crab dip, spinach
dip, or hummus; top with a dab of sour cream and a fresh shrimp; or
sprinkle with grated cheese and bake until cheese melts, perhaps topping
with a pitted olive.
Store in a zip-style bag, at room temperature, to keep them crisp.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Makes about 120 Slices
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons white pepper
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 16-ounce loaves baguettes (day-old is easier to slice)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Combine all ingredients, except
baguettes, in a small bowl and blend thoroughly.
Slice the baguettes in 1/4-inch slices with a serrated knife.
Brush one side of the baguette slices with the butter mixture. Divide the slices between two baking sheets, without overlapping the slices. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. (It's important not to crowd the bread slices, so they will get crisp; bake them in two batches if necessary.)
BONUS TIP: Using bread that is at least one day old is easier to cut, and the day-old factor won't affect the outcome of the toasts.