Food Recipes Appetizers Bruschetta + Crostini Mushroom and Fontina Crostini 5.0 (2) 1 Review Maria Helm Sinskey likes to use Italian Fontina cheese, which melts beautifully, but young Gouda would be equally delicious.Plus: More Appetizer Recipes and Tips More Bruschetta and Crostini By Maria Helm Sinskey Maria Helm Sinskey A 1996 F&W Best New Chef, Maria Helm Sinskey is the culinary director of Robert Sinskey Vineyards in Napa Valley, California. Formerly the executive chef at Plumpjack Café in San Francisco, she garnered rising star chef honors from both the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Magazine and published two cookbooks: The Vineyard Kitchen (2003) and Family Meals (2008). Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 23, 2017 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne Total Time: 35 mins Yield: 4 Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients Four 1/2-inch-thick slices of peasant bread, halved diagonally 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 pounds white mushrooms 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 medium shallots, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon chopped thyme 3 tablespoons water Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 pound Fontina cheese, coarsely shredded (about 1 cup) 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Directions Preheat the oven to 400°. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toast for 12 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges. Turn the broiler on. Meanwhile, thinly slice the mushrooms. In a large skillet, cook the butter over high heat until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the mushrooms and cook undisturbed until the mushrooms are browned on the bottom, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 10 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme, lower the heat to moderate and cook until the shallots are tender, 5 minutes. Add the water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then cook for 3 minutes longer. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Spoon the mushroom mixture on the toasts and sprinkle the cheese on top. Broil for 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Transfer the crostini to a platter, sprinkle with the parsley and serve. Suggested Pairing The mushrooms and Fontina suggest a citrusy-lush Pinot Blanc, but an earthy-spicy Pinot Noir would be terrific as well. Originally appeared: October 2003 Rate It Print