Bruschetta

Bruschetta. Pronounced "brusketta" in Italian, and "Brushetta" by English speaking countries. It dates back to the 15th century, and consisted of grilled bread, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. This bread dish can be topped with just about anything for a terrific, easy appetizer or snack. Here's how I made it this time:

1 loaf french bread, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 cup, (or so) pesto, 1 ball fresh Mozzarella cheese, 1 head roasted garlic, Extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil.

Start by toasting or grilling your sliced french bread. This is a great way to use up that leftover loaf from last night's dinner.

I put mine in the toaster oven because it turns itself off, and I manage to always burn bread that's in my regular oven.

While the bread is toasting, prep the tomatoes. Start by cutting them in half and getting the seeds out. If you leave them in, your bruschetta will be a soggy mess. Not delish.

Get all the wet stuff out of the tomato, then chop it up.

After the bread is toasty brown, drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Use the extra virgin here.

 Now, squeeze the cloves out of the roasted garlic and smash them up. If you don't have any roasted garlic lying around, no big deal. Smash up a clove of garlic and rub it all over the toasted bread.

Smear some of the garlic paste on each slice of toast.

Top with pesto. I used home made, because I had some in the freezer from last year's basil crop. No home made? Use store bought.

Really smear it on there.

Now, top your toast with the chopped mozzarella and tomatoes, and add some sliced fresh basil. Season them up with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, then pop them in a 400 degree F oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.

To chiffonade basil, roll up a stack of basil leaves like a cigar, then thinly slice.

That is one yummy appetizer!

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients

1 loaf french bread, sliced and toasted

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup, (or so) pesto 

1 ball fresh Mozzarella cheese,chopped into small cubes 

1 head roasted garlic, cloves mashed into a paste

Extra virgin olive oil,to drizzle on toast  

6 -8 leaves fresh basil

Method:

1. Slice and toast the bread.
2. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Smear with garlic paste.
4. Top with Mozzarella cheese and seeded and sliced tomatoes.
5. Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
6. Top with thinly sliced fresh basil leaves.
7. Bake at 400 degrees about 5 minutes, until cheese melts.