Pate crostini with blackberry jam

If you need to put together a quick appetizer, but want it to look a little fancy, these pate crostini are a great choice. The touch of sweetness from the jam on top pairs perfectly for an easy and tasty bite.

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I'll admit, I'm not typically one to go all out entertaining at the best of times. If we do have friends over, it tends to be for a barbecue or quick meal that works for the kids too.

But now and then, it can be fun to get a little fancy and start with some more finger food options, whether for guests or just because. 

Creative crispy bites

Crostini are always one of my favorite choices for finger food as they are a great self-contained morsel. They last a little longer than just one bite, and don't require you to dip, scoop or otherwise have to share or eat awkwardly. Plus, the possibilities on how to top them are pretty endless. 

Since the toast in crostini are crisp, I like to have at least part of my topping a little softer. For example with my apple and bacon jam crostini, the jam worked perfectly (let's face it, it's good with anything). Then for my steak crostini, I used some mushroom pate. 

Here the chicken liver pate I shared not so long ago is the perfect base and adds lots of great flavor too. Since it's pretty rich in flavor, though, it's good to have something to cut through that. And a touch of blackberry jam is just the thing.

Preparing ahead

One other great thing about crostini is you can prepare the toasts in advance then just do a last bit of putting them together when you need them. These are particularly easy as you can either make or buy both the pate and jam ahead of time too. When ready, all you do is spread and spoon them on. 

You can add the toppings a little ahead of when you are serving them, but I'd recommend not too long as pate does tend to discolor when exposed to air. Ideally prepare just shortly before serving to look their best.

The combination of crisp toast base, rich smooth pate and sweet and fruit jam are a simple but delicious mix. Super easy and packed with great flavor, these pate crostini with blackberry jam make a fantastic choice for entertaining, or just when you feel like some fancy nibbles.

Try these other tasty finger foods:

• Phyllo crab cups
• Prosciutto wrapped dates
• Chorizo cheese twists
• Baked mussels
• Plus get more appetizer recipes in the archives.

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