Spaghetti Garlic Crostini

These are just too good to keep for myself!! Spaghetti is one of my oldest daughter’s very favorite meals. My husband, on the other hand, can take it or leave it. Don’t get me wrong…..when I make it, he always goes back for seconds, and declares it an incredible meal. But he’s just the type of guy that has stand out cravings like ribs, wings, steak, fried chicken…well, you get the picture…a meat and potatoes type of guy.  So last week when we had leftover pasta, I remembered this creation from the fall of 2009. He’s a sucker for garlic bread so I knew this was a win-win.

When hubby saw me pull these out of the broiler…he could barely contain his appetite. He and I were saving our dinner for later, when the kids went to bed so we could have an at-home date…something we frequently do. It involves a movie, and sometimes a glass of wine. Usually we have steak kebabs or something along those lines…you know man-pleasing (you’ve worked hard all week, honey), but I have to say that these met and exceeded hubby’s expectations, and will definitely make an appearance at date night again. And what an easy meal to pull together, and a great way to repurpose leftovers! Especially since the taste of pasta sauce always improves over time.

Spaghetti Garlic Crostini

Spaghetti Garlic Crostini

Leftover spaghetti (originally make enough for 2 nights)
Fresh mozzarella, about 10-12 ounces
Fresh basil, chopped, optional
Large fresh baguette, Italian or French
1 1/4 sticks butter, melted
Garlic salt
Garlic powder

Melt butter in small saucepan while slicing baguette in thin diagonal slices (about 1/4 inch thick). After slicing bread, set the oven to preheat with the broiler on high. Using a pastry brush, spread butter on each slice as you lay them on a cookie sheet. I used 2 cookies sheets. Afterward, sprinkle all slices with a bit of garlic salt and garlic powder. Put into oven to toast to a golden brown. I toasted 1 cookie sheet at a time, so that while one was toasting…I was buttering the next pan. Keep a close eye on the crostini so that you don’t burn them. Put the second pan in when you take the first one out.

Next spoon spaghetti on each crostini slice. When I make spaghetti, I usually mix my sauce with the pasta before serving so we can melt fresh mozzarella throughout (think baked spaghetti). If yours are separate, just make sure to mix them before spooning onto bread slices. After each slice has pasta, dot it with a bit of fresh mozzarella and sprinkle with fresh basil. Place back under broiler long enough to melt cheese and warm the pasta (about 3-5 minutes). Rotate pans again. To serve vegetarians, just leave out the meat when making your sauce.

These were such a huge hit that my family has now requested that this meal always follows our spaghetti nights. In fact, even today (3 days later), I was asked if there were anymore left. What dishes have you invented using leftovers at your house? Were they a hit?

This recipe shared at Real Food Wednesday.

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18 Responses to Spaghetti Garlic Crostini

  1. Happy Healthy Home says:

    Love your name for these, they sound so special. I make this all the time and well, its just "leftovers". LOL. I'll be stealing your name!

  2. Simply Life says:

    what a perfect fingerfood!

  3. Stephanie says:

    What a fun way to eat spaghetti! I usually just eat leftovers. I need to come up with some fun recreations like yours!

  4. Viveca Park says:

    These look and sound yummy! Makes me think a bit of my baked spaghetti casserole I used to make. I could really pig out on it.

  5. Elysa says:

    OH MY GOODNESS!!! Just the photo alone has my mouth watering.

    Hmmmm….leftover dishes:

    1. Chili Mac made with beanless chili and leftover mac and cheese.

    2. South Western Chicken Soup can be made easily from my leftover Tex-Mex Fried Rice and either a can or two of enchillada sauce or some broth and salsa.

    3. Scrambled eggs can be tucked into a tortilla to make a breakfast burrito. Pop in the leftover sausage or bacon if you ever have any. We NEVER have leftover breakfast meat unless I on PURPOSE cook extra and ban the kids from seconds!

  6. FOODESSA says:

    Carb paradise…this idea is brillinat ;o)

    Flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

  7. Lin Ann says:

    I can't believe I'm seeing this because my husband brought spaghetti pizza home the other night and I had never heard of it. Now, spaghetti crostini! Yum. And what a good way to use up leftover spaghetti. Also thank you so much for voting for my simple pot roast recipe. I've not been confident about my blogging lately, so your vote boosted my confidence today!

  8. Lin Ann says:

    Oops, I just noticed you voted on a different recipe! Ah, so much to learn, lol!

  9. Whitney @ Nesting Season says:

    Yum, and so simple!

    Leftovers are key in my meal planning–almost all of my kids' lunches are a spin on the previous night's dinner. Just about anything can be made into quesadillas and taste good, and I love my hand blender for pureeing roasted vegetables. I regularly make stocks out of leftover bones and veggies, which I just wrote about, actually, along with a recipe for chicken noodle soup, which uses leftover bits of roasted chicken!

  10. Jan at Jewelry4Change says:

    Hi! I discovered your blog from a link on My Baking Addiction. I'm happiest in the kitchen, so I'm going to love it here… I'm following. 🙂

    I must admit, I've never been a bit fan of leftovers, but this looks pretty good. My mom used to always stir leftover rice into eggs while scrambling them. It's not bad.

    Have a nice day,
    Jan at Jewelry4Change
    http://www.jewelry4change.blogspot.com

  11. Bite size comfort food, what a great idea. Kids and SO would love this.
    Come & Play: Thursday Two Questions
    self sagacity recently posted..Vermicelli with Chicken Breast &amp Lemon Grass

  12. Mind blowing! I love garlic bread, love spaghetti, and hate throwing out food, so this dish will be appearing on our table sometime soon.
    Rhi@The Challenged Cook recently posted..Wordless Wednesday pastry

  13. Nanci says:

    Such an easy but creative appetizer idea!!! Love it!! My sisters and I just started our first themed blog hop over at http://everydaysisters.blogspot.com every Sunday!. This weeks theme is appetizers. We would love for you to come over and share these or any of your favorite appetizer recipes with our blog readers. Have a great weekend.
    Nanci

  14. Parsley Sage says:

    Heh. Man-food. That’s adorable. These crostinis look fantastic too! Very yummy 🙂
    Parsley Sage recently posted..Frosted Robin

  15. Curt says:

    Wow, I’m definitely going to have to try this. We eat spaghetti pretty regularly and always have leftovers.
    Curt recently posted..Spicy Beef Jerky in the Smoker

  16. Peg4Jesus7 says:

    Oh man, that looks delicious! Doug loves any kind of spaghetti or tomato-sauce dish, so I’m definitely going to have to try this as soon as I can! And to think I used to laugh at his older brother for making “spaghetti sandwiches” with spaghetti, sauce & buttered bread. I’ll be eating my words … literally lol

  17. Pingback: Most Popular 11 Recipes of 2011 ~ Reader Favorites | Creative Kitchen

  18. This is such a great idea for leftovers, I will be trying this very soon!
    Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl recently posted..Watermelon & Strawberry Lime Mint Popsicles

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