Region: Italy, Lazio
Category: Breads (Sandwiches, Panini etc)
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy and Quick
Bone marrow is the rich, soft, highly vascular connective tissue found in the cavities of bones and considered a delicacy since Paleolithic times. In supermarkets it is sometimes sold as soup bones. But you must examine the bones being sold to make sure you are buying the right ones. They should be the cut up pieces of femur from calves or cows and their marrow should be visible. One can use marrow as a cooking fat or like butter on bread, although its richness will keep you from eating too much. To scoop the marrow out use a small paring or dinner knife to cut into the marrow next to the bone. Whatever you can't get out with the knife use a demitasse or baby spoon to get the rest. You may need to ask the butcher to split the bone for you if they haven’t already. This old Italian recipe is just perfect when you need a quick appetizer that requires no work.
Yield: Makes 20 crostini
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
About 1 loaf French baguette, cut into twenty 1/4-inch thick slices
1 1/4 cups veal bone marrow, at room temperature
Salt to taste (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Arrange the slices of bread on a baking tray and spread the marrow with a knife or spoon. Bake until the marrow has melted, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with salt if desired.
Posted: 12/12/2006
