cheesy pesto bruschetta

Ciabatta bread thickly spread with homemade or store-bought pesto, sprinkled with mozzarella and baked until the bread is crunchy & the cheese is gooey. Then the warm bread is topped with a spicy tomato, basil and balsamic mixture, sprinkled with parmesan and cut into triangles. The result is the most delicious appetizer to share, lunch or a light dinner. Use any tomatoes you want; I used the cherry vine-ripened tomatoes because they’re so good to eat. Just make sure you’re using nice tomatoes for this recipe as the tomatoes and pesto are the star ingredients.

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Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Servings:

Calories: 322kcal

US Customary - Metric

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon sambal olek chili paste – or, in a pinch sweet chili sauce, omitting the pinch of sugar later – could also add 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 fat garlic clove, minced
Generous pinch of salt, pepper & sugar
24 oz vine-ripened tomatoes
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil, coarsely chopped plus a few extra leaves for garnish
10 oz ciabatta loaf, halved horizontally (or use a French loaf or a baguette)
2/3 to 1 cup basil pesto homemade or good store-bought pesto
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese not the pre-grated stuff
1/4 cup finely grated fresh parmesan

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Have a large baking sheet ready.
Combine the vinegar, oil, sambal, garlic, salt, pepper & sugar together in a medium sized bowl. Add the tomato and stir until well combined; set aside.
Place both halves of the bread, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Spread with pesto and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is browned and crisp.
Place the bread on a cutting board. Top with the tomato mixture and sprinkle with the parmesan. Top with extra basil leaves. Cut into serving size pieces. I cut each section into triangles but they can also just be cut straight across. Serves 4 to 6.

Nutrition