Description

This article is from the Recipes Collection, by numerous authors posting those to Usenet. The recipes cover various cuisines and a wide variety of topics, such as appetisers, breads, desserts, entrees, sauces-toppings, side-dishes, etc.). You don't need any cookbooks anymore, as there are hundreds of recipes to choose from.

Basil And Ripe Tomato Bruschetta

This exceedingly simple bruschetta is best made when you can get
really good, flavorful tomatoes and fresh basil. It is the essence of
summer and also provides plenty of iron, vitamin C, and fiber.

Servings: 4

Calories: 469

Fat: 12 g

Cholesterol: 10 mg

Sodium: 697 mg

Protein: 21 g

Carbohydrate: 69 g

Fiber: 5 g

=======================================
* Ingredients:

1 pound ripe tomatoes

4 ounces (about 1 cup)
diced reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons chopped
fresh basil plus 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons extra-
virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic
vinegar

¼ teaspoon dried hot red
pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, peeled

8 slices Braided Semolina
Bread or seeded Italian bread

8 basil leaves

* Directions:

Submerge the tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds
to loosen the skins. Remove the tomatoes from the water and use your
fingers and a small knife to slip off the skins. Cut the tomatoes in
half crosswise and gently squeeze to remove the seeds. Dice the
tomatoes and place them in a mixing bowl. Stir in the cheese, 2
tablespoons chopped basil, oil, vinegar, and pepper flakes. Cut one of
the garlic cloves in half and reserve one half. Mince the remaining 1½
garlic cloves and add to the tomatoes. Let the mixture stand for 10
to 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the broiler. Broil the bread, turning to toast both sides
lightly. Rub one side of the toasts with the reserved garlic clove
half. Place the toasts, rubbed side up, on 4 serving plates. Stir the
remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped basil into the tomatoes and spoon
the mixture over the toasts. Garnish with the whole basil leaves.

Bruschetta Variations:

Bruschetta is grilled, thickly sliced country- style bread that is
rubbed with the cut side of a garlic clove, then brushed or drizzled
with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. The rough,
toasted bread surface releases the flavor of the garlic, and the heat
from the grill disperses the fragrance of the oil. Bruschetta is one
of the simplest and most sublime dishes in Italian cooking. In
American restaurants, the basic bruschetta is most often dressed with
chopped tomatoes and slivered basil leaves. Here are some other
options:

* Spread the bread with
mashed, warmed cannellini beans seasoned with a little chopped red
onion and sprinkled with torn arugula leaves.
* Spread with low-fat
ricotta cheese mixed with a little grated Parmesan and top with
cooked broccoli rabe.
* Layer with grilled
eggplant and other vegetables and sprinkle with paper- thin
shavings of Romano or Parmesan cheese.
* Spread with nonfat or
low-fat ricotta cheese and top with thinly sliced prosciutto,
fresh fig quarters, and a sprinkling of thyme.
* Rub the grilled bread
with a thick slice of tomato, and top with grilled shrimp and a
few drops of fresh lemon or lime juice.

 

Continue to:

• prev: Basic Whole Grain Bread
• Index
• next: Breakfast Biscuits

Share and Enjoy

Tags

breads, food, recipes, cake, meat, vegeterian, seafood, soup