Food and Wine: Ten Apps + One Baguette

(Courtesy:  www.lifesambrosia.com)

(Courtesy: www.lifesambrosia.com)

I love to entertain, but often find myself scrambling to find something that’s unique and low maintenance to serve my guests.  Bruschetta is both and pairing it with a light-to-medium-bodied white wine or Prosecco will compliment these airy hors d’oeurves without overpowering their delicate flavors.  Chianti and Sangiovese are also good options for the tomato and garlic-based bruschettas.

First, slice a baguette into thin disks to make crostinis, brush with extra virgin olive oil and toast.  Optional:  After toasting, rub crostinis with garlic cloves. Then top with any of the following sweet and savory combinations, add salt and pepper for taste, and serve.

  1. Goat Cheese + Prosciutto + Drizzled Honey + Balsamic Vinegar
  2. Pesto + Buffalo Mozzarella + Basil Leaf + Half of a sliced Grape Tomato + Balsamic Vinegar
  3. Fig Jam + Goat Cheese + Walnuts
  4. Cream Cheese + Smoked Salmon + Dill
  5. Creamed Cannellini Beans (blend with lemon juice and olive oil to make it more spreadable) + Chopped Sage + Prosciutto
  6. Creamed Goat Cheese (add milk to goat cheese to make it more spreadable) + Cooked Pancetta + Beefsteak Tomato + Arugula tossed in Olive Oil + Lemon Zest
  7. Ricotta + Thyme + Rosemary + Roasted or Grilled Peach Slices (sprinkle peaches with brown sugar before cooking)
  8. Pesto + Thinly sliced Radish + Scallion + Sea Salt
  9. Creamed Goat Cheese + Strawberry Tomato Bruschetta (Equal parts diced Strawberries and Cherry Tomatoes tossed with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar) + Italian Leaf Parsley
  10. Traditional Bruschetta:  Combine Diced Tomatoes, Red Onion, Basil, Garlic, Olive Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar (I typically buy a container of fresh, pre-made Bruschetta topping in the prepared foods section of my local super market, but making your own is easy as well and there are a lot of great recipes out there, including this one.)

Wine Recommendations:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *