Bruschetta {recipe}

This is by far the most requested recipe from my best friend and maid of honor, Lesley. Also, several other people have asked me to make this too, but Les, never lets me down when we get together {unless its P.F. Changs}  This is a versatile dish that we as a family {mom, dad, hubbs-to-be, brother, aunts, uncles, you get the point} L.O.V.E.   

Bruschetta

1/2 loaf of day old sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch slices {french, italian, foccacia, ciabatta, will do too} 

1/2 to 1 cup olive oil

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped (in the produce section of grocery stores)
~1 tsp rice wine vinegar{optional}~
~2 tbsp sugar{optional)~
*1 log fresh mozzarella cheese {we like it sliced, but 1 cup shredded mozzarella works too}

*1 cup cooked pancetta, sliced or chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix chopped tomatoes, basil, parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp olive oil, rice wine vinegar, sugar and garlic in a bowl. {the sugar and vinegar give it so much more flavor, sweet and tanginess, but not too much}

Arrange bread slices on a large baking sheet. Brush each slice with olive oil. Bake in oven for 7-10 minutes until the bottom slices are toasted. Pull the pan out, flip the pieces so the toasted side is up.

{You can choose to either have your tomato mixture hot or cold. You decide. I like it cold so that the bread doesn't get minorly soggy when cooking, however, most people like theirs toasted. Try them both, and then you decide}

If you want it cold, simply lay a slice of mozzarella on the toasted side of the bread. Bake again for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Pull out of the oven and top with tomato mixture, and cooked pancetta.

If you want it hot. Top with a spoonful of the tomato and garlic mixture. Add a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese/ slice of cheese, and then cooked pancetta on the top.

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes, or until bread has toasted. Watch carefully!

Once removed from oven let cool & serve.

*If you're wondering what the heck some of this stuff is, and where the heck do you get the ingredients? here are some answers...

You can often find mozzarella logs in your local grocery stores. Mine carries them in the specialty section near the meats and cheeses. Often by the italian produce as well. The pancetta is also located here.

If your local deli does not have pancetta. You can find it in a plastic package near the mozzarella or specialty items. Usually it is pre-chopped.

To cook pancetta once its chopped/sliced, simply put 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet, adding pancetta to it. It will brown and start to look alot like bacon. {pancetta is an italian meat that is a salt cured pork belly, that usually has peppercorns in them. it tastes extremely similar to bacon, but saltier}

{raw pancetta comes in a roll like this from the deli}

{once chopped and cooked, it looks identical to bacon, but tastes so much better}

here are some pictures of our process...

 

{tomato & basil mixture...just not mixed yet}

{our sourdough loaf leftover from our Carraba's outing for moms birthday}

{once toasted on the first side}

{we chose the hot route, so we topped it with the tomato mixture}

{gorgeous huh?}

{then topped with a slice of mozzarella and chopped pancetta}

{then once we pulled them out of the oven...ooey gooey, yumminess}