Spinach-Artichoke Crostini

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, spray it lightly with olive oil spray to coat, then add the shallot and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is starting to soften and become translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring after each, and cook just until wilted, another 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

4. While the spinach cools, cut the baguette into 1/2-inch thick slices on the diagonal. Depending on the size of your baguette, you should get anywhere from 28 to 36 slices.

5. Spread the baguette slices out on the baking sheet (they may be a bit cramped now, but will shrink as they bake) and spray the top side lightly with olive oil. Bake until the edges are golden and the top side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan, flip the bread slices, and spray lightly with olive oil. Set the bread aside for now.

6. In a food processor, add the drained artichokes and pulse a few times just to start to break them up. Add the spinach mixture, cream cheese, and the red pepper flakes (if using). Grate 1 ounce of Parmesan (1/4 cup) into the food processor and pulse again until the vegetables are finely chopped and the cream cheese is evenly distributed.

7. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

8. Spread each slice of baguette with 1 tablespoon of the artichoke mixture. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is bubbling and the edges of the bread are browned, about 10 minutes.

9. Let the crostini cool for a few minutes, then grate the remaining 1/2 ounce of Parmesan (2 tablespoons) over the top. Serve right away.