Heirloom Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

August 18, 2010.   6 Comments.   Categories Appetizers, Italian, Light / Healthy, Vegetarian.   Tags , , , , , , .

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Heirloom Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
This is one of my favorite things in the world.  When I start craving this during the peak of heirloom tomato season… I. must. make. it. now.  Although it’s not exactly a traditional method – I don’t care. There are a million variations of this including roasting tomatoes, adding garlic or a host of other ingredients.  But this is my favorite.  It is wonderful as a light lunch, an appetizer or a mid-day snack. I’ll give you the basic idea without exact ingredient amounts.  You can tailor quantities depending upon how much you feel like making. Plan to make a lot…. it’s good!
Ingredients:
  • Fresh sourdough bakery baguette, sliced 1/2 -3/4 inch
  • Pats of butter (plan on 1 pat per slice)
  • 1-2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes (core, remove seeds and chop)
  • 1 bunch, fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced into ribbons (chiffonade)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Good quality goat cheese (I used Haystack Mountain from Boulder)
  • Sea Salt
  • Freshly cracked pepper
Method:
Melt butter in a pan and lightly toast both sides of the sourdough bread until golden brown (like you would with grilled cheese) You want the bread to have a light, buttery crunch without getting burned or too toasted. The inside should still be soft. Set aside.
Chop tomatoes.  Try and remove seeds and lightly pat tomatoes to remove excess water.  Add lots of basil “ribbons” to the tomato (as much as you desire.)  Add salt and pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil. Gently blend together. Continue to lightly blot with towels to remove any remaining tomato liquid. You don’t want them to be too runny on the bread.
Take toasted bread and lightly spread olive oil on surface, then a layer of goat cheese.  Top with tomato mixture. Salt and pepper lightly. Serve immediately. Bite into it open-faced and have a napkin nearby for all that tomato juice!

6 Comments

  1. I still make this appetizer all the time. It’s the best bruschetta ever. I hope you are doing well!!!

  2. Thanks for posting this recipe for tomato, basil and goat cheese bruschetta. It not only looks quite inviting but it also looks like it’s pretty easy to make.

  3. Looks heavenly, especially w/ the addition of goat cheese! I was just in Italy where we had bruschetta in a couple of different towns & it was SOOOO different than what we call bruschetta here. The toppings were similar- simple & fresh, but they didn’t use anything even close to baguette. They used a much thinner, lighter bread. It was delicious!

  4. Wow, this looks like it was prepared by a professional chef. Thanks for sharing this doable recipe.

  5. That looks restaurant-quality! It seems like its very easy and quick to make as well. Thanks for the post!

  6. Looks delicious! The tomato and goat cheese are special, but the taste of basil brings it altogether. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
    — Dan
    Basil Basics

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