Crunchy Christmas crostini

200 kcal or less 30-60 minutes bbc good food beetroot canapés celery ciabatta for a crowd hors d'oeuvres nibbles

N/A

Source

Ingredients

1 ready-to-bake ciabatta loaf

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large wedge of vegetarian stilton , about 200g/8oz

about half a 290g/11oz jar salad beetroot pickle

handful of celery leaves taken from the middle of a head of celery

Method

Up to a day ahead, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Slice the ciabatta into about 25 thin slices. Lay them on a couple of baking trays and brush with the oil. Toast in the oven for 10 mins until they begin to go golden, checking after 5 mins as the trays may need turning.

Up to an hour ahead, cut the stilton into slices a little smaller than the toasts (this is easier to do if the cheese is cold from the fridge), keep covered.

Before serving, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spoon a little pile of beetroot onto the end of each piece of bread. Prop a slice of cheese up against each pile of beetroot and bake for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is starting to melt. You don’t want it too melty – try to catch it just as it’s starting to ooze over the edge.

Top each cheesy canapé with a little sprig of celery leaves and serve immediately.