Gourmet Toasts: Gratinated Pizza Baguette, Nordic Toast and Avocado Toast

Ingredients

• 1 piece Traditional baguette (about 250 g, cut into 4 pieces)
• 100 g Herb de Provence tomato sauce (in jar or homemade)
• 50 g Paris ham (cut into thin strips)
• 125 g Mozzarella (one ball, sliced and grated)
• 30 g Pitted black olives (sliced into rounds)
• 3 c. à soupe Olive oil (to drizzle on the toasts)
• 5 leaves Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
• 1 bread Whole‑grain bread (use 4 slices of about 30 g each)
• 100 g Fresh goat cheese spread (Boursin type or fresh spreadable goat cheese)
• 80 g Smoked salmon (or smoked trout)
• 6 units Radish (washed and sliced into rounds)
• 1 small Tomato (diced)
• 0.25 unit Red onion (finely sliced)
• 1 unit Hard‑boiled egg (sliced into rounds)
• 30 g Spinach or watercress sprouts (for the green touch)
• 1 bread Country bread (use 4 slices of about 30 g each)
• 1 unit Avocado (ripe, thinly sliced)
• 2 c. à soupe Sliced almonds (to lightly toast)
• 1 c. à café Honey (for sweet drizzle)
• 1 pinch Espelette pepper or smoked paprika (for spicy flavor)
• to taste Salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the baguette

   Cut the traditional baguette in half lengthwise, then each half in two to obtain 4 small pieces of equal size.

   Time: PT5M

2. Place on the sheet

   Place the 4 pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

   Time: PT2M

3. Apply the tomato sauce

   Spread a generous layer of herb de Provence tomato sauce on each baguette piece.

   Time: PT3M

4. Add the toppings

   Place mozzarella slices, ham strips, black olives and sprinkle with grated mozzarella.

   Time: PT5M

5. Finish before baking

   Drizzle with olive oil and place a few fresh basil leaves on top.

   Time: PT2M

6. Gratin the pizza baguette

   Bake the sheet for 5 minutes at 180 °C until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Slice the whole‑grain bread

   Cut the whole‑grain bread into 4 slices of about 30 g each.

   Time: PT2M

8. Toast the whole‑grain bread slices

   Place the slices on the same sheet and toast for 5 minutes at 180 °C to make them crispy.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Spread the fresh cheese

   On each toasted slice, spread a generous layer of fresh goat cheese.

   Time: PT2M

10. Assemble the Nordic toast

    Add the smoked salmon, radish rounds, tomato dice, sliced red onion, hard‑boiled egg rounds and spinach sprouts.

    Time: PT5M

11. Season

    Drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt and pepper.

    Time: PT1M

12. Prepare the country bread

    Cut the country bread into 4 slices of about 30 g each.

    Time: PT2M

13. Toast the country bread (optional)

    Place the slices on the sheet and toast for 5 minutes at 180 °C if you like the bread slightly crispy.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 180°C

14. Slice the avocado

    Cut the avocado into thin slices and place them on each bread slice.

    Time: PT2M

15. Toast the almonds

    In a small non‑stick pan, lightly toast the sliced almonds over medium heat for 2 minutes, without added fat.

    Time: PT2M

16. Assemble the avocado toast

    On the bread, place the avocado slices, sprinkle the toasted almonds, add a drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of honey and sprinkle with Espelette pepper or smoked paprika.

    Time: PT3M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

700

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

80 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

10 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Traditional baguette: Small ciabatta roll
• Instead of Herb de Provence tomato sauce: Seasoned passata
• Instead of Paris ham: Parma ham, smoked turkey
• Instead of Mozzarella: Raclette cheese, Emmental
• Instead of Pitted black olives: Green olives
• Instead of Olive oil: Canola oil
• Instead of Fresh basil leaves: Fresh oregano
• Instead of Whole‑grain bread: Multigrain bread
• Instead of Fresh goat cheese spread: Cream cheese, Plain fresh cheese
• Instead of Smoked salmon: Smoked trout, Smoked mackerel
• Instead of Radish: Thinly sliced cucumber
• Instead of Tomato: Cherry tomato
• Instead of Red onion: Shallot
• Instead of Hard‑boiled egg: Hard‑boiled quail egg
• Instead of Spinach or watercress sprouts: Arugula
• Instead of Country bread: Nut bread
• Instead of Avocado: Avocado puree
• Instead of Sliced almonds: Chopped pecans
• Instead of Honey: Maple syrup
• Instead of Espelette pepper or smoked paprika: Sweet paprika

Equipment Needed

• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Oven‑safe baking sheet
• Oven
• Tablespoon
• Cheese grater (optional)
• Non‑stick pan (optional)
• Serving bowl (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cut the baguette into equal pieces (step 1)
• Gratin the pizza baguette (step 6)
• Toast the whole‑grain bread slices (step 8)
• Toast the almonds (step 15)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a homemade tomato sauce with garlic and basil for extra freshness.
• For a more authentic taste, add a pinch of fleur de sel on the Nordic toasts.
• Grated lime on the avocado toast adds an extra tangy note.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store any uneaten toasts in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Freezer: Bread can be frozen for 1 month; thaw in the oven before reheating the toppings.

Room temperature: Sauces and condiments (honey, olive oil) can be kept at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the herb tomato sauce in advance and keep it refrigerated.
• Slice the ham and olives the day before and store them in an airtight container.
• The fresh cheese can be taken out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before use to ease spreading.