Warm Bruschetta for Chilly Days
At times even when snowfalls are incessant, the feeling upcoming spring can trigger cravings for fresh vegetables and fruits. However, in that mean time, it is ideal to have something full of veggies and/or fruits. This is where a Warm Bruschetta or a Winter Bruschetta can fulfill your cravings. Easily made up of cheeses and sundried tomatoes, the main ingredients of this recipe are easily available when fresh produce from the farms are yet to become tangible in stores.
Many of us consider Bruschetta as a summer starter featuring basil and fresh tomatoes. In simple words, you will not serve it if the only selling tomatoes are available at far away markets or greenhouses. Therefore, the recipe described here is so delicious and easily makeable in minutes with the available juicy ingredients.
This starter retains its lightness and freshness just as that of a summer variation, while remaining loyal to the season. For that, you can choose you add some fresh herbs even though they are not a part of the season. This is because you can still get them from local groceries although at a more price than normal. Fresh herbs are ideal for flavoring any dish in any time of the year, making them a necessary ingredient. In short, the ingredients of this winter Bruschetta make up for an amazingly flavored appetizer.
Servings: 6
Approximate Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Approximate Cooking Time: Less than 30 minutes
Per Serving: Fat – 5g, Protein – 4g, Carb – 25g, Fiber -2g
Ingredients
- French baguette or Italian bread with thickness of half an inch – 12 slices
- Oil reserved, divided – 2 tablespoons
- Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes drained out of olive oil – 4
- Finely chopped yellow onion – ⅓ cup
- Minced garlic cloves – 2 teaspoons
- Petite diced tomatoes with olive oil and garlic – 14.5-oz can
Cooking Instructions
- Put slices of bread on baking sheet and leave it aside.
- Place the oven rack around 4 inches up from broiler and heat it
- In a non-stick skillet, heat up reserved sun-dried tomato and 1 tablespoon of oil over medium flame.
- Now, put chopped onion, stir occasionally, and simmer it for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Next, put garlic and simmer for a minute or until you see a bright brown color on onions or smell the typical odor of garlic.
- Now, to the mix, add diced tomatoes and water and simmer until heated or for 3 minutes. In the diced mix, stir the sun-dried tomatoes and add salt and pepper.
- Drain the tomato sauce in colander.
- Bake bread slices on both the sides until roasted, or with half to one minute per side
- Once baked, remove them, sprinkle the left over sun-dried tomato oil, and add tomato mixture of two tablespoons atop each slice. Finally, serve the slices instantly.
The best thing about this recipe is that you can make its different variations. For example, you can add basil, cannellini beans, lemon juice, Parmesan and feta cheese, and other beans, as per your choice.
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