Traditional Italian bruschetta is toasted over hot coals, but you easily can make yours under the broiler. Toasting really helps gluten-free bread — it makes it less crumbly and taste more like wheat-based bread.
The key to this recipe (as with any gluten-free bruschetta recipe) is to find or bake a great gluten-free Italian (or French) bread — this excellent gluten-free French bread recipe from chef Beth Hillson fits the bill nicely.
If you don't want to bake bread from scratch, it's possible to find a gluten-free bread mix that will produce good Italian bread (some people use Gluten-Free Pantry's French Bread & Pizza mix), or you may be able to find a local gluten-free bakery that makes good Italian or French bread.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 10-14 slices of bruchetta
Ingredients:
- Medium-sized loaf of Italian or French gluten-free bread
- 3 oz firm mozzarella
- four ripe plum tomatoes
- Approximately 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (I use Bariani olive oil)
- 3 medium cloves garlic
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, stems removed
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Preparation:
• Chop tomatoes, basil (reserving about 12 whole leaves of basil for garnish), mozzarella and two cloves garlic into very fine pieces and combine in a bowl with two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
• Preheat your oven on the broiler (top heating element) setting. Move an oven rack to the highest possible location, just below the broiler.
• Slice the gluten-free Italian or French bread into slices about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half, and rub gently on the bread (taking care not to crumble the slices).
• Using extra virgin olive oil, grease a cookie sheet. Drizzle the bread slices on both sides with more extra virgin olive oil (about half-a-teaspoon for each side), then place on the oiled cookie sheet. Alternatively, you can use a pastry brush to "paint" each slice of bread with olive oil.
• Toast under the broiler until the bread just begins to turn brown (seven minutes or less, depending on the strength of your broiler — keep a close eye on it).
• Top each slice of toasted gluten-free bread with a heaping spoonful of the tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with whole basil leaves, and serve.
