Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Jamie Oliver's book Jamie's Italy.

　　I've always thought of crostini as small bruschette but this isn't completely correct, as they are usually made with white bread instead of sourdough. I'm told that in the old days the bread would have been so stale that it would have to be soaked in a little stock or juice to make it chewy and edible again, but don't worry. In this day and age you don't have to do this. In Italy they simply grill a half-inch slice of ciabatta, rub it with a cut clove of garlic, drizzle it with oil, and season it with salt and pepper.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 12

　　1 loaf of ciabatta bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices

　　1 large clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half

　　Good-quality extra virgin olive oil

　　6 large ripe figs

　　12 slices of prosciutto

　　Small bunch of fresh mint

　　Extra virgin olive oil

　　Balsamic vinegar

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Grill your slices of ciabatta. While they're still hot, rub them gently with the cut side of the garlic and drizzle with good-quality extra virgin olive oil.

　　

Step 2

Tear the figs in half, then drape a piece of prosciutto over each of your hot crostini and squash a piece of a fig on top. Finish with mint leaves and serve drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil, a drop of balsamic vinegar, and some freshly ground black pepper.

　　From Jamie's Italy by By Jamie Oliver, (C) 2006 Reprinted with permission from Hyperion