A few weeks ago I posted my last recipe in the series of making cheese at home, Italian Mozzarella. Within that post were photos of crostini & bruschette and, with the holidays quickly approaching, I thought this the perfect time to share both recipes. Besides, if you were successful and made a couple of pounds of mozzarella, eventually you’re going to tire of eating it “by the chunk” — and that’s when these recipes will come into play.
First a definition of terms. The word crostini means little toasts, whereas bruschetta has as its origin bruscare, to char or roast. They sound pretty similar to me. I’ve always thought the difference to be in the bread used. When I make crostini, I use a baguette, thinly sliced on the diagonal. For bruschette, I use a thicker slice taken from a loaf of Italian bread. I toast both before piling on the fixin’s and sometimes pop them back into the oven afterward. It really does depend on what’s being used to top each off. And speaking of the fixin’s, you can use pretty much anything you like. Just stick with fresh ingredients and you won’t go wrong.
About a year ago, I posted a recipe for Gorgonzola and Honey Bruschette. At the time, I mentioned that I often use my toaster to toast the bread beforehand and store it in airtight containers until needed later that day. This is particularly helpful when entertaining. It’s just one less thing to worry about. No matter when you toast the bread, though, try to serve these bruschette directly after preparation or they may become sodden.
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Mozzarella and Tomato Bruschette Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ inch (1.7 cm) slices of Italian bread
- plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- garlic, minced
- a few tbsp of sweet onion, diced
- fresh mozzarella, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
- fresh basil leaves, hand torn
- Italian seasoning
- olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- dried oregano
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Slice bread, brush with olive oil, and toast lightly
- Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing for about a minute. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook until heated through.
- Remove from heat, add the basil, Italian seasoning, balsamic, and olive oil. Mix well and taste before seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Add the cubed mozzarella once the tomato mixture has cooled to room temperature.
- When ready to serve, spoon some of the tomato-mozzarella mixture on top of each toasted bread slice, season lightly with salt and cracked black pepper, and garnish with a light sprinkling of dried oregano.
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Crostini alla Caprese Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ inch (1.2 cm) thick slices of baguette, cut on the diagonal
- cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- fresh mozzarella, cut in ¼ inch (.6 cm) slices
- fresh basil leaves
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Slice bread, brush with olive oil, and toast lightly.
- Pre-heat oven to 400˚F (204˚ C).
- Place tomatoes in a bowl, season with salt & pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
- Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and then into the oven to roast for about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not allow to roast so long that the tomatoes completely collapse.
- Meanwhile, place a slice of fresh mozzarella and then a few small basil leaves atop each piece of toast.
- Remove tomatoes from the oven and when cool enough to handle, place one tomato half, cut-side down, on each piece of the toast with mozzarella and basil. If you prefer, add a light drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of red wine vinegar. Serve immediately.
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Notes
These antipasti should be made using fresh mozzarella. No, you needn’t make it yourself and you can find it now in most large grocery stores. Just to be clear, I’m not talking about the pre-shredded stuff used when making pizza. Fresh mozzarella is usually ball-shaped and is often packaged in water/whey. If you’re unsure, ask a person working at your store’s deli counter for assistance.
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It’s déjà vu all over again …
Since this post is somewhat party themed, I thought it best to resurrect a recipe that’s perfect when entertaining a large group. Cut into 3 inch squares, your guests will have no trouble munching on this bit of cheesecake while sipping on their cocktails, You can find the recipe for this Cherry Cheesecake Pizza by clicking HERE. If you need help deciding which cocktail(s) to serve, do what I do. Click HERE or HERE. While you’re there, be sure to take some time to check out both Greg’s and John’s blogs. You won’t be disappointed.
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Coming soon to a monitor near you …
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The Proverbial Last Rose of Summer
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