Bruschetta Bar

Recipe Ingredients

		Toasts
2		Loaves of crusty Italian or French bread
2		Garlic cloves
1/2 cup	118ml	Extra-virgin olive oil
		Tomato and Ricotta Salata
2		Shallots - sliced thin (large)
1 tablespoon	15ml	Extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups	125g / 4.4oz	Chopped seeded vine-ripened tomato
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
2 oz	56g	Ricotta salata or feta - cut fine dice
2 tablespoons	30ml	Minced fresh chives - or to taste
2 teaspoons	10ml	Balsamic vinegar - or to taste
		Mozzarella, Greens and Garlic
1 1/4 lbs	567g / 20oz	Arugula, spinach, or escarole
6		Garlic cloves - minced, and
		Mashed to a paste with
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Coarse salt
2 tablespoons	30ml	Olive oil
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1/2 cup	118ml	Coarsely-shredded mozzarella
		Caponata
1/4 cup	59ml	Olive oil
3 1/2 cups	693g / 24oz	Unpeeled eggplant in 1/4" dice - (abt 1 1/4 lbs)
3/4 cup	46g / 1.6oz	Finely-chopped onion
3/4 cup	82g / 2.9oz	Finely-chopped celery
1/3 cup	48g / 1.7oz	Chopped pitted green olives
3 tablespoons	45ml	Chopped drained bottled capers
1/4 cup	59ml	Red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons	22ml	Sugar - or to taste
3 tablespoons	45ml	Golden raisins - (optional)
3 tablespoons	45ml	Pine nuts - toasted lightly
3		Plum tomatoes, cut 1/4" dice
1/4 cup	10g / 0.4oz	Finely-chopped flat-leafed parsley
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste

Recipe Instructions

To make toasts: Prepare grill or preheat broiler. With a serrated knife cut bread crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Grill slices on a rack set about 4 inches over glowing coals for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp outside but still soft inside.

Alternatively, slices may be broiled in batches under a broiler about 4 inches from heat 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden.

Rub toasts with garlic on one side and lightly brush same side with oil. Toasts may be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container.

Tomato and Ricotta Salata: In a small skillet cook shallots in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in tomato and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring 30 seconds, or until just heated through. In a bowl toss together tomato mixture with cheese, chives, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste and mound about 1 tablespoon on oiled side of each toast.

Mozzarella, Greens, and Garlic: Discard coarse stems from greens and wash leaves thoroughly. Chop greens coarse (there should be about 6 cups).

In a large heavy skillet, cook garlic paste in oil over moderately-low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add greens, salt, and pepper and saute over moderately-high heat, stirring, until wilted and tender, about 3 minutes. Pour off any excess liquid. Transfer greens mixture to a bowl and cool to warm. Stir in mozzarella.

Caponata: In a heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately-high heat until it is hot but not smoking, in it cook the eggplant, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is tender, and transfer it to a bowl.

To the skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and in it cook the onion and the celery over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the olives, the capers, the vinegar, the sugar, the raisins, the pine nuts, and the tomatoes and cook the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is cooked through and the celery is tender, and transfer it to the bowl. Stir in the parsley, let the caponata cool, and chill it, covered,overnight. Season the caponata with salt and pepper.

This recipe yields 10 servings.

Source:
SARA'S SECRETS with Sara Moulton - (Show # SS-1A22) - from the TV - FOOD NETWORK

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