Some like it Hot!

We love Bruschetta! We get it for an appetizer at Olive Garden. I buy a large container of it from our Wholesale Club. I make it many times in the summer when/if we have a lot of tomatoes. BUT....have you tried it baked?


Very simple....follow these steps....


Chop up your ripe tomatoes of choice in a baking dish. The romas looked the ripest at my store. You can certainly use the large tomatoes, cherry, grape or even the heirlooms ones...Just something RIPE! (it is only April here, tomatoes are not quite bursting with flavor yet) Top with crushed garlic and salt and pepper!

I am using my glass non stick oval dish....for I know things may want to stick!

Roll up 5-6 basil leaves - TIGHTLY....

Slice thinly....this is called chiffonade (BTW- lol)

Chop up your green onions....


Throw all your green stuff on your tomatoes....top with 1/2 lb of sliced mozzarella...

Finally, put about 5 sliced of thinly slice proscuitto on top and bake @ 400 until bubbly, melty and proccuitto is crispy....sorry I don't have a pic of the final product out of the oven...it smelled so good we had to eat it right away....yes, it was THAT good!

Here is the full recipe for you...

Baked Bruschetta

1-2 cups ripe tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper a must!
2 green onions, sliced
6 basil leaves, chopped as above
2 cloves of garlic, minced or put thru garlic press
1/2 lb (half a package usually is 8 oz) mozzarella
3 oz. proscuitto (about half a 5oz package)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tomatoes and place in oval baking dish (or whatever works for you) and salt and pepper them well. Mince garlic and sprinkle over tomatoes. Add your sliced and chopped green onions and basil and sprinkle over garlicky tomatoes. Slice mozzarella into thick slices or enough to cover the veggies in the dish. Slice procuitto into thin ribbons and top onto cheese. Bake for 15-20 or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Serving with warm crusty bread like ciabatta is recommended. Crackers just won't hold up to the gooey cheese!