Tomato Mozzarella And Basil Bruschetta Recipes

TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, onion, capers, basil and mozzarella. Stir in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top toasted bread with the mixture and place on baking sheet. Broil until cheese melts. Serve hot. Alternative: Substitute 1 cup canned northern white beans for cheese and just top toasts with mixture.

TOMATO, MOZZARELLA AND BASIL BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
• On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven and melt cheese slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece.
• Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.

TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA BRUSCHETTA WITH BASIL OIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bruschetta Preparation: Place diced tomatoes on a VIVA® towel and salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. Remove to a bowl and mix together with mozzarella and vinegar. Season with salt to taste. Let stand at room temperature while toasting the bread. Place bread slices on a sheet tray in a single layer and bake until edges are golden, turning bread halfway through. Rub one side of toasted bread with raw garlic. To assemble, place a mound of tomato mixture onto slices and drizzle with basil oil. Serve immediately. Basil Oil Preparation: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Drop the basil leaves into the boiling water and submerge them for 5 seconds. Remove them to the ice bath using a spider or slotted spoon. Work quickly. You don't want the basil leaves in the boiling water for too long. Blanching the leaves and then shocking them in ice water will preserve the bright green color. Remove the basil from the water and squeeze dry using VIVA® towels. You want the basil as dry as possible. Remove basil to a blender with the oil. Puree until the mixture is well combined. Place a strainer inside a bowl. Dampen a VIVA® towel with water and line the towel inside the strainer. Pour the basil oil into the strainer. It takes awhile for the oil to strain through. You may need to squeeze it gently to help along the oil. Pour strained basil oil into the neck of a small cruet or a small sterilized jar. Cover the jar or cruet tightly and refrigerate. Use within four days.