Bruschetta
By Allied Press
The Otago Daily Times and Alison have collaborated to bring you her first cookbook – Seasons.
Alison Lambert is one of our beloved ODT food writers, where her featured columns in Fresh have inspired home cooks across Dunedin and Otago for almost 15 years.
Her approach is all about simplicity, celebrating the natural flavours of each season with delicious recipes that encourage you to embrace cooking with what’s readily available.
One of these recipes is her Bruschetta.
Bruschetta
"Bruschetta is such a simple pleasure anyone can achieve. First, you must
have good quality sourdough bread. Second, an excellent extra virgin olive
oil is essential. This is the base of any good bruschetta. Once you have this
you can use your imagination to create toppings of your dreams." - Alison Lambert
To create the base of a good bruschetta you need to grill a generous slice of sourdough on both sides. Lightly rub one side with a peeled garlic clove, sprinkle over a little sea salt and generously douse the bread with the oil.
Tomato and garlic
Rub the toasted bread with the garlic clove. Cut a ripe tomato in half and rub the cut side over the bread. Finish with a little salt and olive oil.
Peperonata
Spoon the peperonata over the bruschetta, tear up a few basil leaves and scatter over. Allow the juices to soak into the bread for a minute or two before enjoying.
Grilled courgette
Slice the courgette into thin strips and grill until just tender. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, dried chilli, lemon juice and mint. Season with sea salt flakes and spoon generously over the bruschetta. I also like to shave over a little pecorino or parmesan to finish.