Serves : 3 (light meal) or 9 (antipasto)
Cooking Time : 15 minutes per topping
Bruschetta is traditionally served as an antipasto, a first course designed to stimulate the apetite. This can make an excellent lunch or lighter meal, but it is also a nutritionally complete meal, so it is a regular dinner for me. Some of the toppings are much better made in advance, for example, the aubergine topping should be allowed to cool while marinating in oil, and the roasted vegetable topping is best to blend once the vegetables have cooled. The toppings all keep well in the fridge for about 2 days, but are better at room temperature so it is best to take them out of the fridge a bit before serving. A good quality extra virgin olive oil is really important to get the most out of the ingredients.
Ingredients
- Sourdough or Ciabatta bread, sliced
- (optional) 1 or 2 Cloves of garlic, peeled
For the Aubergine topping
- 1 Aubergine (eggplant)
- (optional) 1 Clove garlic, peeled and partially crushed (but still mostly whole) or minced
- 2 to 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Red or White wine vinegar
- (optional) Parsley or rosemary
- Vegetable oil for cooking
For the Roasted vegetable topping
- 1 Courgette
- 1 Red, yellow or orange pepper
- 1 Red onion
- Dried mixed herbs
- Vegetable oil for cooking
For the White bean topping
- 1 Tin cannellini beans
- 1 to 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 tsp White wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
For the Cavolo Nero topping
- Cavolo nero
- (optional) 1 Clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Sea salt flakes or coarse sea salt
For the Tomato topping
- Handful Cherry tomatoes
- Basil
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- (optional) 1 tsp White wine vinegar or lemon juice
Method
For the aubergines, in a bowl mix together the olive oil, white wine vinegar and herbs if using, and add in the garlic, keeping the garlic mostly whole will infuse the flavour into the oil. Slice the aubergine into slices a little under 1 cm thick and heat a griddle pan on a high heat until starting to smoke. One by one brush one side of the aubergine with vegetable oil and place it, oiled side down, on the griddle, then brush with other side with more oil. Cook the aubergine for about a minute (or until it develops charring lines) and then flip, repeating the process on the other side, you can cook the aubergine an additional time on each side, making a criss cross pattern. Add each aubergine slice to the oil mixture as soon as it finishes cooking, tossing in the oil to fully coat. Work in batches, cooking the aubergine and adding to the oil, once all the aubergine is cooked, cover the bowl and set aside to allow the aubergine to marinate.
For the roasted vegetable topping, preheat the oven to 180°c. Cut the vegetables into chunks as evenly as possible, and toss together with the herbs and vegetable oil in a roasting tin. Roast in the oven for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on size, toss partway through cooking. Once the vegetables are softened and developing some colour set them aside and allow to cool. Once cooled to around room temperature blend the vegetables in a food process until mostly smooth.
For the white bean topping, drain and wash the beans and blend together with the olive oil, vinegar/lemon juice and salt, if needed add cold water a little at a time until the purée reaches the desired consistency.
For the cavolo nero cut out the thick stems and boil the leaves and the garlic clove for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until the leaves have softened. Drain and allow to cool. Mince the boiled garlic and toss the leaves in the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
For the tomato topping, cut the tomatoes into quarters or eighths, roughly tear the basil and toss the tomatoes, basil and olive oil together. The tomatoes may need some white wine vinegar or lemon juice, the tomatoes I use tend to be fairly acidic already, but vinegar or lemon juice can help if the olive oil is overpowering the tomatoes.
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat until starting to smoke. Cook the bread until it develops charred lines on each side, if using, rub a whole clove of garlic on the toasted bread, imparting some garlicy flavour on the bread.
Place the toppings on the toasted bread as you see fit, add a few flakes of salt to any bread topped with cavolo nero.
Notes
I like to layer up the roasted vegetable, bean and aubergine toppings on one piece, they make for an excellent combination.
For the roasted vegetable topping I recommend not spreading the vegetables out too much while roasting, keeping them more tightly packed will take a bit longer to cook but will keep them moist.
If you are trying to impress, save some of the nicer looking herbs to use as garnish.
Bruschetta Platter
A selection of toppings to go with bread toasted on a griddle.
Ingredients
- Sourdough or Ciabatta bread, sliced
- (optional) 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, peeled For the marinated aubergine
- 1 aubergine
- (optional) 1 clove of garlic, peeled and partially crushed (but still mostly whole) or minced
- 2 to 3 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Red or White wine vinegar
- (optional) Parsley or rosemary For the roasted vegetable topping
- 1 Red, yellow or orange pepper
- 1 courgette
- 1 red onion
- Dried mixed herbs For the tomato topping
- Handful cherry tomatoes
- Basil
- 1 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
- (optional) 1 tsp White wine vinegar or lemon juice For the cannellini bean topping
- 1 tin cannellini beans washed and drained
- 1 to 2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 tsp White wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Pinch of salt For the Cavolo Nero topping
- Cavolo Nero
- (optional) 1 Clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Sea salt flakes or coarse sea salt
Directions
For the aubergines, in a bowl mix together the olive oil, white wine vinegar and herbs if using, and add in the garlic, keeping the garlic mostly whole will infuse the flavour into the oil. Slice the aubergine into slices a little under 1 cm thick and heat a griddle pan on a high heat until starting to smoke. One by one brush one side of the aubergine with vegetable oil and place it, oiled side down, on the griddle, then brush with other side with more oil. Cook the aubergine for about a minute (or until it develops charring lines) and then flip, repeating the process on the other side, you can cook the aubergine an additional time on each side, making a criss cross pattern. Add each aubergine slice to the oil mixture as soon as it finishes cooking, tossing in the oil to fully coat. Work in batches, cooking the aubergine and adding to the oil, once all the aubergine is cooked, cover the bowl and set aside to allow the aubergine to marinate.
For the roasted vegetable topping, preheat the oven to 180°c. Cut the vegetables into chunks as evenly as possible, and toss together with the herbs and vegetable oil in a roasting tin. Roast in the oven for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on size, toss partway through cooking. Once the vegetables are softened and developing some colour set them aside and allow to cool. Once cooled to around room temperature blend the vegetables in a food process until mostly smooth.
For the white bean topping, drain and wash the beans and blend together with the olive oil, vinegar/lemon juice and salt, if needed add cold water a little at a time until the purée reaches the desired consistency.
For the cavolo nero cut out the thick stems and boil the leaves and the garlic clove for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until the leaves have softened. Drain and allow to cool. Mince the boiled garlic and toss the leaves in the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
For the tomato topping, cut the tomatoes into quarters or eighths, roughly tear the basil and toss the tomatoes, basil and olive oil together. The tomatoes may need some white wine vinegar or lemon juice, the tomatoes I use tend to be fairly acidic already, but vinegar or lemon juice can help if the olive oil is overpowering the tomatoes.
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat until starting to smoke. Cook the bread until it develops charred lines on each side, if using, rub a whole clove of garlic on the toasted bread, imparting some garlicy flavour on the bread.
Place the toppings on the toasted bread as you see fit, add a few flakes of salt to any bread topped with cavolo nero.
love tofu 
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