Friends! I’m teaching a cooking class with Digital Media Playground at Macy’s (in Union Square) this Saturday. You should totally come! I’ll be doing a little demo on one of my favorite summer foods, bruschetta! My friend Denise will also be teaching a lesson on food photography & how to take awesome shots indoors with tricky lighting. It’s gonna be fun!
I’ve been testing bruschetta recipes this week and yesterday I came up with this scrumptious Artichoke & Basil Bruschetta for the class. On top of a grilled/garlic rubbed crostini you’ll find creamy ricotta, basil, marinated artichoke hearts, a slice of Parmesan cheese with a squeeze of lemon. It’s so good I made it for both lunch AND dinner yesterday. You are going to LOVE it! One bruschetta down, three more to go!
And we’re off!
Cut up a baguette into small slices and dunk both sides in olive oil.
Grill the bread on a grill over medium high heat. A few minutes per side to get great grill marks.
Rub each slice of grilled bread with a garlic clove.
Spread ricotta on the top of each one.
Place a little basil on top.
Top each one with a sliced artichoke heart & finish with a slice of Parmesan cheese.
Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice on top along with a sprinkle of salt & pepper!
Done!! Perfect little bite to eat with a chilled glass of dry Riesling. Hello SUMMER!
Artichoke & Basil Bruschetta
Makes about 18-20 bruschette
(a Shutterbean original recipe)
- 1 french baguette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 12 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese (you might need less)
- 10-15 basil leaves (use a half for each bruschetta)
- 18-20 small slices of Parmesan cheese
- fresh lemon juice
- salt & pepper
Cut the baguette into 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal. Brush or dip each side of the bread lightly with olive oil. Grill bread on medium high heat, about 3-4 minutes per side. When the bread has slightly cooled, take a clove of garlic and rub across the top of each slice. Spread a tablespoon of ricotta on top of bread and place a piece of basil leaf and top with a marinated artichoke heart. Top each one with a slice of Parmesan cheese, squeeze a bit of lemon over each one and top with salt & pepper. Serve immediately.
Shutterbean Notes:
- If your artichoke hearts are big, you might need to cut them in half so they’ll fit nicely onto the crostini
- The basil I bought had HUGE leaves so I cut them in half. A leaf should be roughly the size of the surface area of bread.
- Although the photos show me making 5 crostini for lunch, this recipe makes enough for a nice little get together at your house! CELEBRATE.
