This is the thirty-second installment in Mucho Gusto, a recipe initiative by and for students to help connect us through food in times of isolation. If you’ve got a recipe you think would make a great addition, reach out to us!
In my big, Italian family, we crave our pesto, olive oil, and bread. Pronounced broo-skeh-tah, this Italian appetizer is extremely popular around the world. Bruschetta is actually just a name for toasted bread, but the classic version usually includes tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.
There is no clear origin, but bruschetta is centuries old, possibly dating back to the Ancient Romans. For years, it was a simple snack, just stale bread and tomatoes, that was eaten by farmers and workers doing intense manual labor. It’s served far and wide across the Italian peninsula today, but the toppings vary in the different regions. For example, in Tuscany, bruschetta is usually topped with chicken liver or kale. In Abruzzo, they use salami.
My family prefers this pesto version, which has been with us for as long as I can remember. Plenty of cooking and tasting has led us to conclude that these measurements and combinations work best! Regardless of the recipe you choose, the most important part of a good bruschetta is having the right ingredients. The key is using fresh mozzarella, high-quality olive oil, and good bread.
Over the past few years, my cousins, brother, and I have taken over the bruschetta making and mastered it. Whether it’s over holidays, family dinners, or our annual family beach trip, we make this recipe. I truly believe that cooking and working in the kitchen together is one of the best ways to bring a family closer to each other. There are many ways to make bruschetta, but I promise this Vuono classic will not disappoint.
Ingredients:
- 1 baguette, long
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cup walnuts
- ⅔ cup olive oil (extra-virgin)
- ½ cup grated parmesan-reggiano cheese
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Instructions:
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the baguette into ½ inch thick pieces. On a baking tray, toast the baguette slices in the oven for approximately 2 minutes, or until slightly crisp and golden. Flip the slices over, and toast for another minute. Turn off the oven, remove the slices, and set them aside while preparing the pesto.
Place the walnuts and garlic inside a food processor and process for approximately 15 seconds or until finely chopped. Next, add in the salt, pepper, and basil. Process for 1 minute or until the mixture forms a creamy paste. Add the parmesan-reggiano cheese and olive oil to the mixture, and blend for another 30 seconds or until smooth. If the pesto is too thick, add olive oil, one tablespoon at a time, until the preferred consistency is reached.
Once the pesto is ready for plating, slice the mozzarella cheese into ¼ inch slices and the sun dried tomatoes into halves. To assemble, spread the pesto on a toasted bread slice, add a piece of mozzarella, and top with a sun dried tomato. Repeat for each slice, serve, and enjoy!
Gusto Journal 