#bruschetta #appetizer #healthyrecipes #gardenrecipes #italianfood
Italian Bruschetta Recipe (12 servings)
INGREDIENTS:
cherry tomato, 1.5 lbs
1 baguette (stale is ok)
olive oil, 1/2 cup (filtered not cold-pressed)
1 whole garlic bulb
balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp (+ optional 1/4 cup for glaze)
fresh basil, 6 leaves (+ extra leaves for garnish)
fresh rosemary, 2 small sprigs
fresh thyme, 2 small sprigs
sea salt, 1/4 tsp
DIRECTIONS:
1. Slice cherry tomatoes into quarters and combine with sea salt and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Cover and set aside.
2. Remove garlic top by cutting a half inch from the pointed head, exposing the individual cloves. Set bulb on fresh herbs in a small cocette and pour on 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. Cover and roast at 350 F for 30 min.
3. Remove roasted garlic from cocotte. Push cloves out of bulb onto scratch-resistant surface and press up through lemon zester to separate garlic from chewy bits. Add roughly 1/3 of the garlic mash back into the cocotte and 2/3 of the garlic mash to the tomato.
4. Cut baguette at a slant and broil until crispy and slightly blackened.
5. Transfer garlic and herb olive oil from cocotte into a squeeze bottle. Generously douse each baguette slice with the infused oil. Add remaining infused oil to the tomato and garlic mixture.
6. Spoon bruschetta onto the broiled bread or transfer to a serving dish and top with fresh basil leaves.
7. Optional: Prepare a balsamic reduction (balsamic glaze) by heating balsamic vinegar on low heat until only slightly thicker. Set aside to cool completely. Glaze will thicken more upon cooling.
