Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Bruschetta

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Melted Brie & Asparagus Fresh Tomato Pecorino and Mushroom Pear, Gorgonzola & Honey Pear, Feta & Spinach Mozzarella, Chili & Lemon

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Bruschetta is in my opinion the perfect way to deliver fresh ingredients to the palate. The perfect lunch time meal or as a simple antipasti course or starter course. It is important to remember that in essence, bruschetta can be anything you want it to be. There is no end to the various different flavours and combinations of ingredients which can be piled on top of a simple toasted piece of crusty bread. The freshness of your ingredients and the quality of your bread is the secret to any good bruschetta. I personally love a good sourdough loaf which has been drenched in olive oil and then toasted until the outside turns a lovely golden colour but the inside of the bread remains lovely and soft. And of course the bread must then be rubbed with a garlic clove to add that hint of garlic aroma which helps to bring out the flavour to any ingredients laid on top of your bruschetta. Smaller pieces of sliced bread, toasted in the same way as bruschetta is known as crostini and are a great way to arrange more intense flavours to the palate, such as pates or tapenades. Again, crostini can be made using the bread f your choice and with any combinations of flavours, although they do work best with pastes and smoother textures toppings.

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Melted Brie & Asparagus Bruschetta Serves 2

Ingredients

2 slices country style bread, thickly sliced

2 garlic cloves – I peeled and whole, 1 chopped finely

1 teaspoon honey

Lemon juice

Sweet balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

8 slices brie

10 asparagus – lightly blanched

Method

Combine the chopped garlic, honey, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a jar and shake well.

Slightly toast the bread slices under a grill. Remove from heat and rub a garlic clove into one side of each

slice. Place the asparagus onto each slice and then lay the brie slices on top of the asparagus. Put back

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

under the grill and toast until the brie has melted slightly. Drizzle a little of the dressing over the top of the

bruschetta and serve immediately.

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Serves 6

Ingredients

6 medium sized juicy tomatoes

6 basil leaves, roughly torn

1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

Extra virgin olive oil

6 thick large slices of white country style bread

1 large garlic clove, peeled

Salt and pepper

Method

Dice the tomatoes and put them into a bowl. Add the basil and the oregano, and season with salt and

pepper. Mix through about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Grill the bread slices on both sides, and

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

rub one side of each with the whole garlic clove. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Divide the tomatoes between

the bread slices. Add another generous drizzle of olive oil over each bruschetta and serve.

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Pecorino and Mushroom Bruschetta Serves 4

Ingredients

4 slices Thick white bread, suitable for bruscetta

1 garlic glove

8 Anchovies

Matured pecorino, sliced thinly

Mushrooms, sliced thinly and slightly brown in a pan

2 handfuls rocket leaves

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

Toast bread slices and then rub the garlic clove over one side of the bread. Then layer the ingredients on

top of the bread slices. Lay the pecorino slices down, anchovies and then the mushrooms. Then sprinkle

some rocket on top of the mushrooms followed by a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.

Pear, Gorgonzola & Honey Bruschetta Serves 8

Ingredients

16-24 slices of French stick

3 large pears

6 tbsp cane sugar

2 tbsp butter

300g gorgonzola dolce

Acacia honey

Method

Lightly toast the bread. Peel and thinly slice the pear. Melt the butter in a pan with the sugar until

dissolved and add the pear. Cook until caramelized and soft. Smudge a generous lump of gorgonzola on

each slice of bread and put in a hot oven/ under a grill until the cheese has begun to melt. Spread a few

slices of pear over each and drizzle the honey over.

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Pear, Feta & Spinach Bruschetta

I love the flavours of Pear, walnuts and feta. They blend beautifully in my mind and I delight when I can see

them all together on a simple piece of sourdough for me to enjoy.

Serves 2

Ingredients

50g walnuts

5 tbsp walnut oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon castor sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large ripe pears

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices of sourdough bread

Clove of garlic

150g baby spinach leaves

200g sliced fetta

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C and roast 50g walnuts for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Chop the walnuts and set

aside. Reduce the oven temp to 100°C. Make a dressing by mixing together 5 tablespoons walnut oil, 2

tablespoons sherry vinegar, ½ teaspoon castor sugar and a little salt and pepper. Quarter and core 2 large

ripe pears, cut into wedges and brush the cut sides with extra virgin olive oil and cook on a grill for 1-2

minutes on each side or until softened. Place in the oven to keep warm. To make the bruschetta, toast 4

slices of sourdough bread and then rub with a clove of garlic and drizzle liberally with extra virgin olive oil.

Top the bruschetta with150g baby spinach leaves, the warm pears, 200g sliced fetta and the toasted

walnuts. Drizzle over the dressing and serve. Simple!

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Bruschetta

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Mozzarella, Chili & Lemon Bruschetta

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 slices ciabatta bread

1 clove garlic

extra virgin olive oil

2 balls of buffalo mozzarella

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

a small handful of fresh basil leaves

1 lemon for zesting

Method

Heat a griddle pan until it’s really smoking hot, then griddle each slice of ciabatta for a couple of minutes

on each side until they are nicely charred. Cut the garlic clove in half, rub each ciabatta slice with garlic and

drizzle with a little olive oil. Tear the mozzarella evenly over the 8 crostini. Season well with salt and

pepper, sprinkle over the sliced chilli and basil leaves and grate over the lemon zest. Finish with another

drizzle of olive oil.