Whoops! I’ve been doing a million things today and just realized that I haven’t written up the blog yet. This weekly recipe feature is a no brainer with the over abundance of fresh tomatoes right now. I couldn’t resist putting together one of my favorite summer treats and sharing the recipes with you. Enjoy this bruschetta. By the way, it goes great with a nice glass of Pinot Grigio. (You can thank me later).
First, I made French bread using this recipe from www.allrecipes.com
FRENCH BREAD
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6 cups all-purpose flour
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2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt
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2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
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1 tablespoon cornmeal
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1 egg white
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1 tablespoon water
Directions
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In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
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On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
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Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
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Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
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With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.
When the bread had baked, I sliced it, brushed the tops with olive oil, and toasted it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. (And by the way, you can buy a baguette at the store, and it will be just as tasty). I topped the warm bread with the tomato mixture I made using this recipe, also from www.allrecipes.com
BRUSHETTA
Ingredients
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8 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
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1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
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1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 loaf French bread, toasted and sliced
Directions
In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Serve on toasted bread slices.
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Take care and have a great week-end. Jordan will be back next week to share her latest projects. She has been away on a business trip this week. Also, we’re still looking for five guest bloggers for September.
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Oh my, that looks so delicious! Your newest follower from Treasure Hunt Thursday. 🙂
This looks delicious, & we love bruschetta!
Thanks so much, Janette, for your nice comments about our son & the new cookbook! Yes, Dr. Weil is pretty cool to be linked up to. We have spoken with him several times at “Openings,” & he is such a nice man. He and Michael have done a lot of cooking together at Andrew’s home in Tucson. There’s mutual admiration between the two.
As to whether I turn over the kitchen to Michael when he visits — heck no! He’s sometimes my assistant….lol, but he pretty much likes what I cook. Of course, he is such a kind-hearted young man, he would never tell me if something I made was really bad!
FYI: Do you know you have a NO REPLY email? I’m finding that a lot of bloggers don’t even realize their email is set up like that, so I’ve been making a point of letting them know. It makes it a bit more difficult to reply to the email.
Oh I so admire you for making your own french bread! I am a big brushetta fan and this recipe looks awesome and is a great way to use some of our Basil.