Simple Bruschetta Recipe With Secret Ingredient

Ok, I know. This is barely a recipe. Or if you want to call it a recipe, it’s one that’s been done a thousand times before. But please read on anyway! The secret ingredient of balsamic vinegar on this bruschetta recipe makes it worth it.

I’ve been very disappointed with my garden this year. My eggplant plant fell over. My herbs all flowered before I could get to them. My fruit trees are not fruiting.

On the other hand, my tomatoes and cucumbers are OUT. OF. CONTROL. It’s a good thing we know how to swim, because otherwise we’d be drowning in vegetable juice. Though this summer has finally made me a fan of cucumber, I can only eat so much. I’m much more willing to keep up with the tomato marathon.

I’ve made this tomato-based bruschetta topping no less than four times in the last week to mix into risotto, on pasta, as a salad topper, and of course, on good bread. For today’s recipe, I used Angelic Bakehouse’s Sprouted 7–Grain Baguette so everything was technically healthy. (Is it still healthy if I eat four portions at one sitting?)

I suggest using cherry tomatoes in this bruschetta recipe and cutting them in half, leaving you with a pretty chunky topping. Yes, this does make it hard to keep on the bread, but its worth it.

Add or subtract items to the topping as you see fit. Mozzarella balls are a good addition. Dried basil will work in a pinch if you’ve missed the peak season for your fresh basil plant, too.

Now, the balsamic glaze…. Yum. Do not be tempted to skip this step! Your house may smell a little funky while the vineger boils down to a glaze, but the end result is just perfect. In the words of a great chef we’ve all heard from once or twice, this will definitely kick it up a notch. Any leftover glaze would be great over salmon, chicken or beef. I’ve even been using it as a salad dressing.

P.S. You may have noticed that I’ve talked about Angelic Bakehouse a lot here, on social media, and live. They are my new go to for all things bread. Until I learn how to make my own, I schedule grocery visits around who sells their products. (Hear that, crappy Pick N’ Save on Oakland?!) If you haven’t tried them yet, I suggest you do soon. You’ll never miss those chemicals you thought were necessary to keep your bread fresh and airy.

Enjoy!

Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

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Serves	6
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer

This classic recipe is made better with the balsamic glaze topping. Use any leftovers over pasta, green salad, or grilled chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted 7-Grain Baguette
• 1 dry pint cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons basil, torn
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)

Directions

1.	Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool.
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice baguette into 1" thick pieces and place on cookie sheet. Lightly brush pieces with a bit of olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until browned.
3.	Mix the rest of the ingredients except for the cheese, in a small bowl. Allow time for the flavors to meld.
4.	Arrange bread on serving platter and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle a pinch of cheese over each piece of bread and then use a spoon to LIGHTLY drizzle the glaze over the platter.