Name: Rustic Summer Bruschetta
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 container (12 oz) heirloom cherry tomato mix, (diced); 2 teaspoons good quality balsamic vinegar; 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil; ¼ cup chopped basil; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 French baguette, (sliced on the diagonal into 1/3-inch slices); 1 head roasted garlic ((can substitute roasted garlic spread)); 6 ounces farmer’s cheese (can substitute ricotta)

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My Rustic Summer Bruschetta is the ultimate summer appetizer- it’s simple, rustic and always a crowd pleaser!

I’m always experimenting with new recipes and flavor combinations but there are a few classic food pairings that shouldn’t be messed with. Peanut butter and jelly. Bacon and eggs. Milk and cookies. And in my opinion, tomatoes and basil.

Bruschetta is the ultimate summer appetizer- it’s simple, rustic and always a crowd pleaser. There are endless varieties of bruschetta, but I like to take advantage of seasonal produce as much as possible. What better dish to showcase beautiful, lush tomatoes and fresh basil?

In this case, I was inspired by the lovely heirloom cherry tomatoes at my farmers’ market. I simply toss them with fresh basil and a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to enhance their natural flavor. When produce is at its best, no need to get fancy, just let it shine.

In traditional bruschetta, the toasted bread is often rubbed with raw garlic. In my version, I top the bread instead with a mixture of roasted garlic and farmer’s cheese. Check out my blog post about how to roast garlic.

The roasted garlic adds a delicious, mellow garlicky flavor without the pungent bite of raw garlic.

Farmer’s cheese (also called farmer cheese) is a mild flavored, low fat cheese that’s cultured from reduced fat milk. It’s traditionally used as a filling in blintzes and pierogies.

When making farmer’s cheese, the liquid whey is drained off and the curds are pressed, yielding a product that’s drier than cottage cheese and crumbly. If you can’t find it, you can substitute part skim ricotta or cottage cheese.

Toasted bread topped with roasted garlic, farmer’s cheese, fresh summer tomatoes and basil- it doesn’t get much simpler or more delicious than that. Why mess with a good thing?

More tasty appetizers

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Rustic Summer Bruschetta

My Rustic Summer Bruschetta is the ultimate summer appetizer- it’s simple, rustic and always a crowd pleaser!

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Servings: (makes 24 pieces)

Calories: 164kcal

Author: Dr. Sonali Ruder

Ingredients

▢ 1 container (12 oz) heirloom cherry tomato mix, diced
▢ 2 teaspoons good quality balsamic vinegar
▢ 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
▢ ¼ cup chopped basil
▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
▢ 1 French baguette, sliced on the diagonal into ⅓-inch slices
▢ 1 head roasted garlic (can substitute roasted garlic spread)
▢ 6 ounces farmer’s cheese (can substitute ricotta)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Stir the tomatoes, vinegar, oil and basil together in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Turn the broiler on. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and place under the broiler for a 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted.
Squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl. Add the cheese and mash them together until combined. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Spread a small amount of the roasted garlic farmer’s cheese onto each slice of bread and top with some of the tomato mixture. Arrange the bruschetta on a platter and serve.

Nutrition

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