Sorry it’s been so long. My weeks have become a whirlwind of exercising, ripping pages out of wedding magazines, spring cleaning, etsy shopping, baseball games, registering, exercising, working, pinning wedding dos, exercising, and, of course, friends, family, and Jason. I’ve managed to squeeze cooking into all that flurry, but posting is another story. We’re 65 days and counting… Ou vey and ooo la la!
This bruschetta is a garlic fest. A toasty, cheesy, tomatoy garlic fest. The only real downer is garlic breath, but if your toothpaste can handle it and your man doesn’t mind too much, get ready for a crispy, fresh pre-dinner delight.
While I usually make this as an appetizer, sometimes…when I’m alone… I pile leftover bruschetta on a larger piece of toast for a nice, light lunch.
Roasted Garlic Bruschetta
Ingredients:
Head of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
6 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 small red onion
Pepper
Half of a loaf of crusty french baquette or slighty stale gluten-free bread (I use Udi’s)
A block of parmesan cheese
Prep time: 25 minutes
Yields: 6 servings
First things first. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Cut the head of garlic in half. Set on top of foil and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Wrap those cloves up and roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until garlic is soft.
Now, address the rest of your vegetables. It’s important to serve bruschetta at room temperature. No one likes cold bruschetta on warm toast. Be sure to get your veggies out of the crisper and let them sit on the counter for a while before you start cooking. First, quarter and seed your tomatoes. Then, chop them into tinsy bits. Not pieces. Bits. Place in a large bowl. Then, dice your basil, garlic, and onion into bits. Finally, place your italian medley in a large bowl. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Now, for the bread. Place your knife at a slant to cut nice, diagonal slices of bread. Slices should be about 1/2 inch thick.
Wait anxiously for your garlic to finish roasting. While you wait, arrange your bread slices on a cookie sheet. Then, when the timer finally tings, use a butter knife to scrape the garlic out of each clove and spread on bread like butter. Be generous. Next, using a potato peeler, cut thin shreds of parmesan cheese from the block and place one shred atop each slice. Bake in oven at 375 for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the bread’s edges have turned golden brown.
Top each slice of bread with about 2 tablespoons of bruschetta and serve immediately. Eat slowly, allowing a symphony of flavors to explode in your mouth.
