Summer Bruschetta!

 Hey Everybody! Today I’m going to be showing you how I make a delicious bruschetta. I created this dish about three years ago and it has been a staple at every family party since. It’s especially great in the summer when all of the vegetables used are in season. However, it works well all year too! The awesome thing about this is that you can either serve it as a hors d'oeuvre type thing, with a grilled chicken breast, or even some type of dinner as a side dish. So, lets get started!

First, you want to thinly slice a loaf of French bread. I chose this type of bread because it has a specific type of crust, which allows it to toast very nicely.  It works especially well if you buy the loaf of bread the day before, that way it is a little bit stale, which makes cutting it much easier for you. However, it works just fine if you buy it the day of too.

After you’ve sliced all of the bread, arrange them on a cookie sheet, as shown above, and brush them with a little bit of oil: this will help them become crispier. After you have lightly coated all of the slices in oil, put them in the oven at 350 degrees until they feel crispy to the touch.

While your bread is in the oven, thinly slice some zucchini (as shown above.) I find that for one loaf of French bread, two zucchinis seem to be enough. Toss them in a pan with a little bit of butter or oil, whichever you like, and sauté until they are cooked. You can tell when they are cooked because they will become slightly translucent and flimsy.

Do the same thing with summer squash. I find, again, that two of them is just enough for one loaf of bread.  

 Then, while your bread is toasting and your squashes are sautéing, thinly slice up some Roma tomatoes. I usually use about four to six, depending on the size.

 

Next, chop up some basil. I used about 6 large leaves and finely chop them. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your bread and squash at this point. Keep occasionally stirring your sautéing vegetables, and check on the bread every once in a while too. 

Once your bread has toasted and your vegetables are all cooked thoroughly, it is time to assemble. First, you want to take a slice of toasted bread, and lay a slice of your tomato on top. Then, a slice of summer squash, and on top of that, a slice of zucchini. Then, garnish the top of the bruschetta by sprinkling a few pieces of the chopped up basil on top.

To finish it off, add a few pieces of shredded mozzarella cheese. Once you have completed assembling all of the pieces, put them back into the oven: just long enough so that the cheese melts and everything heats back up again. This also helps the flavors meld together a little bit more.

 Once they come out of the oven, they should look something like the picture above. I definitely recommend trying this out, as it can be used for many things and is a very aesthetically appealing dish. You are sure to impress people with this one! Enjoy!

Until Next Time, 

Kristen