I call them Italian Nachos

Hi kids! I'm Josh and I'm going to be sharing some of my kitchen antics with you on a semi-regular basis since, as Michelle mentioned in an earlier post, I'll probably be doing the lion's share of the cooking for the two of us!

So while we've been waiting to be turned loose upon that snazzy kitchen in the new place, I've been putting together some light dishes that are quick and easy and don't require any fancy equipment. The other night I decided to go Italian and make a simple variation of Bruschetta.


Bruschetta

Software:

• 1 Baguette
  
• 2 Tomatos
• 1/2 Onion
• 1/2 Oz. Fresh Basil (about 10 leaves)
• 1 Can Black Olives
• 8 Oz. Fresh Mozzarella Ball
• 3 Cloves Garlic
  
• Olive oil
  

Hardware:

• Cookie Sheet
• Mixing Bowl
• Knife
• Cutting Board

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Slice baguette into about 16 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick rounds, cutting at about a 30 degree angle and place on cookie sheet.
  
• Lightly brush or spray one side of the baguette rounds with olive oil.
• Place rounds into oven for about 5 minutes, or until they just barely start to toast. Tradition dictates you rub them with a raw garlic clove, but since I add garlic to the topping I doubt you'll notice a difference in flavor if you skip this step.
  
• Meanwhile, dice the 2 tomatos (should yield approximately 1 cup), the onion (should yield about 1/2 cup), garlic and Chiffonade the basil. Open the can of olives and drain liquid. Combine in mixing bowl with a splash of oil and salt and pepper to taste (remember the olives bring some salt to the party)
• Cut the mozarella into small pieces and place atop the baguette rounds. Return to oven for about 5-8 minutes or until mozarella melts. You can place it under the broiler for the last minute or so to get some color on the cheese if you like, but be sure to watch it closely as broilers take food from perfect to burnt very quickly.
• Spoon mixture over the rounds and serve. You can do a drizzle of basalmic vinegar over the top to finish if you like.

These were a hit with Michelle and her roommates. Definitely be careful if you decide to toss them under the broiler as we had some very dark corners on a few of our pieces after only a few seconds of looking away.