TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Nobody is going to miss the oil on these appetizers. Just don’t tell anybody it’s fat-free. If you say that, they won’t want to eat it. Just serve it and they’ll love it. Good quality ingredients – remember that! It’s mostly fat-free – just a teeny bit in the tomato spread. 

Makes as many as you want

Make the salad dressing: TOMATO ONION SALAD DRESSING

French baguette – the long, narrow type, sliced on the diagonal for greater spreading space, about 1/2 inch thick

slicing tomato – ripe, juicy works best – cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, then into 3rds or 4ths to fit the baguette slice

Balsamic Glaze

fresh grind sea salt

fresh grind black pepper

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Pour some dressing into a shallow cup/bowl.

Dip one side only into dressing. Place ‘dressing side up’ on rack over baking sheet.

Do as many as you like.

Place a tomato piece on top of each slice.

Broil till bubbly and edges of bread are deep brown in spots.

Remove from oven/broiler. Using  the tip of a spoon mush the tomato down a little to roughly spread it on the slice of bread.

Drip a little Balsamic glaze over each one and spread that as well.

Sprinkle each with a little sea salt and black pepper. Serve.

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Notes: These bruschetta taste good hot or at room temperature. They’re really easy to make. Keep dressing on hand, and all you need to do is buy tomatoes and bread when you expect somebody to come over. Cheap too.

Here’s the recipe for the dressing for those who don’t like to click links:

TOMATO ONION SALAD DRESSING

Just a tiny bit of oil brings the pureed solids to a happy place for the palate! The olive juice, ground fennel and liquid smoke help bring out the richness of the tomato, while the onion and garlic create a surprisingly fresh flavor quality, making one think it’s a fresh tomato dressing! Use over green salads.

Makes 1-3/4 cups

1 med. yellow onion, about 1 c. diced

2-3 garlic cloves, coarsely cut

1/2 c. tomato paste

1/2 t. sea salt

3 T. Kalamata olive liquid from jar

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

3/4 c. water

1 t. ground fennel seed

1/2 t. dried basil

1/4 t. ground allspice

fresh grind black pepper

1/2-1 t. liquid smoke

salt to taste

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

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Combine all ingredients in blender container and blend till as smooth as you can get it.

Salt to taste. Add the oil last and blend till smooth.

Pour into covered jar and refrigerate till needed. Shake well before using.

Notes: If you use 1/4 cup per serving of dressing, then this recipe makes 7 servings. Using 1 tablespoon of oil for the entire recipe amounts to 1/7th of a tablespoon per salad serving. I’ll take that – especially if it’s good and it is.

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