Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta Food

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS, SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Rinse the beans well and then put in a 1-quart saucepan. Cover with water to 1-inch over the top of the beans. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately take the pot away from the burner, cover and hold for 1 hour. Change the water; add half of the extra-virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove and the bay leaf. Cook beans on low. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until tender. During last 10 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in carefully. Remove from heat and hold in the saucepan with the cooking liquid until cool. This may be done 1 to 2 days before serving, and kept refrigerated.
• For the bruschetta topping:
• Preheat a grill or stove-top grill pan.
• Grill the bread on both sides until crispy. Be careful on high heat as bread burns easily.
• While bread is grilling, in a saute pan on medium heat, toast the sliced garlic in the olive oil. When it is light golden, add the chili flakes, cook for 10 seconds and then add the basil leaves. Do this carefully, as the basil may spatter some oil.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the pan. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bean cooking liquid (or liquid from canned beans) and mix all together. Hold warm. Adjust consistency, as necessary, with the bean liquid, a little at a time.
• When the basil leaves are wilted, remove mixture from the heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chopped parsley. Toss to combine and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, to taste, and salt and pepper.
• Lightly swipe the remaining garlic clove on 1 side of the bread. Arrange the toasted bruschetta on a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil. Top each piece with some of the tomato-bean mixture, then evenly divide the ricotta salata over the mixture. Serve warm.

GARLIC-SUN-DRIED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Thinly slice a baguette; arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees F until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cut off the top inch of 2 heads of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast 1 hour at 400 degrees F. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and mash. Meanwhile, fry sage leaves in olive oil until crisp. Spread softened butter on the toast rounds. Top with the roasted garlic, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, the fried sage and sea salt.

SUN DRIED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Meanwhile, fill a large 12-quart pot with water, cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil into skillet, immediately add chicken breast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side until cooked through.
• While chicken cooks, prepare basil and mozzarella cheese. Chop both into bite size pieces. Drain diced tomatoes into a cup and reserve liquid. In a medium size bowl combine diced tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and ½ of mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
• Add a small handful of salt to boiling pasta water. Cook pasta to al dente; meaning it still has a little bite to it (approximately 8-10 minutes).
• Once chicken is cooked, add tomato liquid to pan. Spoon the tomato cheese mixture over the chicken breasts. Cover and reduce to simmer.
• Drain pasta and return to the hot pan. Drizzle pasta with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary. Toss to combine.
• Place pasta and chicken on plate or platter, sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over top and garnish with basil and sun-dried tomato if desired.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Slice your bread, if you have not done so already; place them on a baking sheet which you have lined with aluminum foil (just in case something falls off and tries to burn).
• Place the bread under the broiler and toast until light golden; remove.
• Turn the bread over, place the bread under the broiler and toast just until the bread firms slightly but not golden yet; remove.
• Brush the lighter side with olive oil (you may decline this if you are using tomatoes packed in oil, but it's your choice).
• On top of that lay out some basil leaves to cover the top of the bread.
• Mince the sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle on top of the basil; I use regular dried on mine that are still pliant like raisins; if yours are hard you may need to have soaked them in warm water in advance and squeezed dry then mince; but you can do that now, no biggie.
• On top of the tomatoes sprinkle a generous amount of goat cheese and tap down so it doesn't fall off.
• If you like you can add a pinch of sea salt but I didn't.
• Place the bruschettas under the broiler and toast just until the cheese starts to soften and the edges get nice and brown; serve.

BRUSCHETTA WITH PESTO, MOZZARELLA AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Place the olive oil and the garlic in small bowl and let sit for at least 1/2 an hour; preheat the broiler; spread the bread slices on a baking sheet and then brush both sides with the olive oil; broil until golden on both sides (this will only take a couple of minutes).
• Place the tomatoes in a cup and cover with boiling water; after about 5 minutes, remove, pat dry and cut into long thin strips.
• Spread cooled brushetta with pesto of your choosing, a slice of mozzarella and a strip of sun-dried tomato.
• To make red pesto: Place all ingredients except oil in food processor; process adding oil gradually until it forms a paste.
• To make basil pesto: Place all ingredients except oil in food processor; process adding oil gradually until it forms a paste.

ANCHOVY & SUN-DRIED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Slice the bread and very lightly paint with the olive oil and toast (dry) the slices in the oven 300°F for approx 20 minutes or until the slices are crisp dried.
• I do this well in advance and keep the dried toasts in an air tight container so you always have some on hand, or you can buy ready made ones.
• In your food processor or hand held chopper attachment put in: sun dried tomatoes, anchovies,garlic salt& pepper, and hot sauce.
• Chop until you have a very fine spreadable mixture, let stand for at least 1/2 hour.
• I make mine up a few hours in advance.
• Spread the mixture on the dry toasts.
• Top with fresh chopped tomato.
• Sprinkle with cheese of your choice.
• Place in 375°F oven for approx 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is golden.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over tomatoes for 30 minutes, remove and pat dry.
• Slice and toast bread.
• Rub both sides of each slice with split garlic clove.
• Place tomatoes in a shallow bowl and mix with olive oil and seasonings.
• Place tomato mixture on each slice of bread and top with parmesan cheese.
• Place bread on baking sheet and stick under broiler until cheese bubbles and browns.