Bruschetta With Pesto, Mozzarella and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

evelyn/athens's Note:

Made these to snack on with wine last night and they were gone in what seemed like seconds!

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 30 appetiz ...

• 1 French baguette , cut into thin slices
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , quartered
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese , sliced very thin
• 4 -6 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

Red Pesto

• 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 15 big basil leaves
• 1⁄3; cup olive oil
• 1⁄3; cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Basil Pesto

• 1 cup basil leaves
• ¼ cup pine nuts (or blanched almonds)
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup oil (about)

Directions:

1. Place the olive oil and the garlic in small bowl and let sit for at least 1/2 an hour; preheat the broiler; spread the bread slices on a baking sheet and then brush both sides with the olive oil; broil until golden on both sides (this will only take a couple of minutes).
2. Place the tomatoes in a cup and cover with boiling water; after about 5 minutes, remove, pat dry and cut into long thin strips.
3. Spread cooled brushetta with pesto of your choosing, a slice of mozzarella and a strip of sun-dried tomato.
4. To make red pesto: Place all ingredients except oil in food processor; process adding oil gradually until it forms a paste.
5. To make basil pesto: Place all ingredients except oil in food processor; process adding oil gradually until it forms a paste.

Reviews

[zaar junkie]

This turned out really well, my boyfriend and I ate the entire baguette for dinner! I will be making this again, but will cut down the oil by almost half - the bruschetta was dripping in olive oil using the 1/4 cup and had to let it rest on paper towels to get rid of some of the extra grease.

[little_wing]

This is an intense, flavors-bursting-in-your-mouth starter! I've made this 3 times since first trying it. Thanks for sharing! Made for ZWT4

[Sydney Mike]

Really enjoyed these & probably could have eaten half of them myself! I half the amount of red pesto & half of the basil pesto, 'cause I wanted to try both, & it all was GREAT! My small group devoured these in no time, so it's definitely a keeper! Thanks! [Made & reviewed when I snuck over the border into Italy during the World Tour #4]