Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer that is easy to make at home. Toasted bread is topped with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil. The tomato is the star of this brightly-flavored appetizer. For this reason, it’s important to use fully-ripened, in-season tomatoes – grocery store produce won’t do!
Variation: Make it a meal by layering a slice of fresh mozzarella and prosciutto atop the bread and then adding the tomato mixture. In lieu of fresh mozzarella, ricotta or goat cheese would also be delicious.
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Ingredients
1 baguette
4 T olive oil, divided
3 cloves fresh garlic, divided
¼ cup basil chiffonade
24oz fresh tomatoes (3-4 medium tomatoes)
1 T red wine vinegar
½ t each salt & pepper
Instructions
1. Core tomatoes and chop to about ¼”, place in strainer to drain excess liquid.
2. Mince 1 clove garlic and add to bowl.
3. Add basil, 2T olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper and chopped tomatoes; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
4. Cut the baguette into ½ slices.
5. Brush baguette slices with the remaining olive oil. Grill or toast on a cookie sheet under the broiler. Watch carefully so that the bread doesn’t burn.
6. Slice the garlic cloves in half and rub the sliced side on one side of each slice to impart the flavor.
7. Top with the tomato mixture and serve.
Tip: If you can’t come by freshly-grown tomatoes and your tomatoes lack flavor, add a splash of balsamic vinegar for added sweetness. Garden-grown tomatoes will have plenty of flavor without it.
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Harvest Blossoms
1. Pluck Them
This is the simplest part. Pinch the base of the squash blossom and pluck it straight from it's stem. It's also worth giving the blossom a cool rinse in the sink and patting them dry before cooking. The same picking and cooking methods can be used for all kinds of squash blossoms. Pumpkin blossoms are especially versatile because they are large and the petals are thick enough to withstand some cooking.
2. Choose a Cooking Method
RAW
Pumpkin blossoms and other squash blossoms can be eaten as they are, especially perfect atop a fall green salad.
FRIED
Fried squash blossoms are surprising light and fresh tasting, especially when made in a tempura batter, which is perfect for quick frying that will not overcook the squash blossom on the inside. Try out this Pumpkin Flower Tempura Recipe from Chef DePaprika for a fast and genuinely traditional tempura frying technique.
STUFFED
Pumpkin blossoms can be quite large, certainly larger than other squash blossoms like zucchini, so they are perfect for stuffing. There are lots of great ideas for stuffing, even including Thai Pork-Stuffed Squash Blossoms, but our favorite fall recipe is the Market Stuffed Squash Blossoms from A Spicy Perspective, stuffed with goat cheese and dried cherries. It's the kind of plate that would feel right at home on a Thanksgiving spread.
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