Bruschette Appetizer


8" round "wheel" sour dough French  bread loaf
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. butter, melted
2-3  cloves garlic, finely minced
2-3 Italian tomatoes, cubed
Small bunch fresh  basil, chopped
Salt to taste
Cut wheel of bread in half,  horizontally and brush each half with a light
coat of melted butter and a  heavier coat of olive oil. Sprinkle on garlic and
salt. Toast lightly in oven  under broil setting (careful don't scorch the
butter). Remove and immediately  top with diced tomatoes and basil. Serve
immediately to enjoy the wonderful  contrast of warm, crusty garlic bread and
cool,
soft tomatoes and basil. Serves  4. 

Tomato Bruschetta

1 cup chopped, peeled and seeded Roma tomatoes  
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil 
1 TB olive oil  
2 tsp. minced garlic    
1/4 tsp. salt   
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper    
1/4 cup butter, softened    
1 tsp. minced garlic    
1/8 tsp. salt   
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper    
1 loaf (16 oz.) baguette-style French bread (about 20" to 24" long),
bias-sliced 3/4" thick   
1/2  cup freshly shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese 

1. For topping: In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, olive oil, the 2
teaspoons minced garlic, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon black
pepper. Set aside.
   
2. For garlic butter: In a small bowl, combine softened butter, the 1
teaspoon garlic, the 1/8 teaspoon salt,
and the 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
   
3. Evenly spread garlic butter on one side of bread slices. For charcoal
grill, grill bread slices, buttered side
down, on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-low to low coals
for 2 minutes or until lightly
browned. Turn over and spoon the topping onto each bread slice. Sprinkle with
cheese. Grill, covered, 3 to 4 minutes more or just until heated through and
bottoms are toasted. Watch bread closely so it does not char.
(For a gas grill, preheat grill on high for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to
medium-low to low. Place bread
slices on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) 

4. Remove from grill. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 appetizer servings.    

Pantry Bruschetta
Ingredients


1 can     petite diced tomatoes
1 clove  garlic, minced
1/4       yellow onion, diced finely
2 tbsp.  each basalmic vinegar, olive oil
1 tbsp.   fresh basil, minced or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
Directoins
       Mix all and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Serve on grilled
baquette slices (or whatever bread/cracker product that can be toasted!)

Tuscan Tuna and White Bean Bruschetta

1 can (6-oz.) water-packed tuna
1/3 cup minced red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 cup (15-oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper
20 thin slices crusty French or Italian bread, cut diagonally

In small bowl, flake tuna with fork. Stir in remaining ingredients. Set aside. With food processor running, drop garlic through feed tube and process until chopped. Add beans; process until smooth. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper; pulse just to mix. Scrape into small bowl. Heat broiler. Arrange bread slices in single layer on cookie sheets. Broil 1 to 3 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Spread each toast with bean purée, then spoon on some tuna mixture. Serving Size: 6

POM and Brie Bruschetta

Ingredients:

¾ cup Pomegranate Seeds 1 6-oz. French baguette 2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole 4 oz. ripened Brie cheese

Directions:

1. Score 1�? fresh pomegranates and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranates under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve ¾ cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.) 2. Preheat oven to 400°F. 3. Cut baguette into 12 ½-inch slices. 4. Lay bread slices on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. 5. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes. (The bread does not need to brown, just have a toast-like crust on the top surface.) 6. Remove from the oven. Leave bread slices on the pan and rub garlic cloves on the toasted surface. 7. Peel the white rind from the brie and discard; slice brie thinly and place slices on top of the toasted bread. 8. Return pan to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, just until brie has melted. 9. Place a teaspoon of arils on each slice and press down with the back of a spoon. 10. Serve immediately while warm.

SQUASHED CHERRY TOMATO & SMASHED OLIVE BRUSCETTA

The saltiness of the olives perfectly compliment the
sweetness of the tomatos in this very simple and refreshing
bruschetta. Try to make use of the wider range of cherry
tomatoes available: yellow, tige, and plum cherry tomatoes
for instance.

INGREDIENTS:
2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
1 handful black olives
4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
A drizzle herb vinegar
1 dried chile
A handful fresh basil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ciabatta or other rustic bread, cut into thick slices
1/2 clove garlic (or garlic paste)
4 boccacini
Parmesan, for shaving

DIRECTIONS:
1. Simply squash your tomatoes into a bowl. You can be as
rough with the tomatoes as you like, as the salad looks
much better rough and rustic than perfect and pretty.

2. Gently smash the olives on a board with a hard object,
like a cup or a rolling-pin. Remove the stones, throw the
olives in with the tomatoes, and toss together.

3. Add 4-5 tablespoons of oil, the oregano, a drizzle of
vinegar, crumbled chile, and rip in the basil. Season,
to taste, and that's your salad.

4. Griddle or toast the slices of bread and rub with the
garlic clove (or a very thin smear of garlic paste), pile
on the tomatoes, and rip the mozzarella and lay over the
top drizzle with a little bit more oil and finish with
shaves of Parmesan.

Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta
A quick, easy and elegant way to enjoy the flavors of fresh herbs, Parmesan
cheese, capers and bell peppers.

4 slices hard-crusted Italian or French bread, 1/2 inch thick
1 jar (7 ounces) roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into 1/2-inch
strips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoons freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained, if desired

1 .
Heat oven to 450ºF. Place bread on ungreased cookie sheet.
2 .
Mix remaining ingredients except capers. Spoon onto bread.
3 .
Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges of bread are golden brown. Cut each bread
slice lengthwise into thirds. Sprinkle with capers.

Tips from the Kitchen

Did You Know...
Capers are flower buds from the Mediterranean caper bush. These small buds
are picked, dried in the sun and pickled in vinegar brine. They make great
additions to salads and appetizers, such as this bruschetta.
Prep: 10 min
Start To Finish: 20 min
Makes 12 appetizers

Summer Bruschetta

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp. minced garlic
8 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
8 slices Pepperidge Farm® 100% Whole Wheat Natural Whole Grain Bread
*, toasted or grilled and cut diagonally into quarters
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

MIX vinegar, oil, basil and garlic. Stir in tomatoes.
DIVIDE tomato mixture among bread quarters. Top with cheese. Serves 4.

TIP: *Also delicious with Pepperidge Farm® Multi-Grain Natural Whole
Grain Bread.

E-Z Bruschetta
 
4 slices Italian bread, 1/2 inch thi
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder or garlic salt
1 large tomato, sliced
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

Preheat your oven's broiler.
Arrange slices of bread in single layer on baking sheet. 
Mix together olive oil and garlic powder in cup. 
Brush onto slices of bread. 
Cover each piece of bread with tomato slices, then sprinkle with
as much cheese as you like. 
Drizzle just a bit of olive oil over cheese.
Broil 3 to 5 minutes, til cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Make sure you keep an eye on it - it doesn't take long!

Blue Cheese and Honey Bruschetta



Ingredients



1/2 baguette

3 ounces blue cheese

2 tablespoons honey

Preparation

Thinly slice half a baguette. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and

broil them until they're golden brown (about 1 1/2 minutes per side).



Divide the blue cheese among the toasted bread slices. Drizzle 2

tablespoons honey evenly over them.

Yield



Makes 4 to 6 servings

Real Simple, MARCH 2006