Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta with Pesto Ricotta

Bruschetta is one of my favorite ways to showcase the bounty of summer tomatoes that are now ripe on the vine, just waiting to be devoured. This traditional Italian antipasto can be served in so many mouthwatering ways. Bruschetta originates from the ancient Roman olive growers. They would toast slices of bread to bring to the local press and sample their fresh pressed batch of oil in the winter. This is the simplicity of Bruschetta as the word comes from the Italian verb "brusciare" meaning to burn, sear or toast. What goes on top of this charred piece of heaven after that point is endless, but tomatoes are not always the staple topping. I've had a variety of toppings myself ranging from all kinds of meats, cheeses and vegetables to fruit toppings as a wonderful grilled dessert.  

Today's version is a concoction I created from a remaining batch of ricotta I had on hand and the need to showcase these beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes I picked up from the farmer's market. They smelled so good, I barely had the will to photograph them before consuming several slices. The taste was just as amazing and worth the wait.



Ingredients:

1 baguette of crusty artisan bread sliced into 1/2" slices

2 containers of cherry tomatoes 

1 C. Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C. chopped garlic 

1 C. pesto 

1 container of part skim ricotta 

Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish
Fresh basil chiffonade

Balsamic glaze
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Halve the cherry tomatoes and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the chopped garlic evenly over the top. Give the tomatoes a few stirs to evenly coat and season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes on the middle rack in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes, stir and repeat for an additional 5-10 minutes until the skin just starts to blister. Don't overcook, as the tomatoes will break down too much and not hold their shape. Remove tomatoes from the oven to a medium bowl, including the residual oil and set aside.

Preheat the grill (or grill pan) to medium heat.
Dip a basting brush into the tomato to soak up residual oil and baste both sides of each slice of bread. Place the oiled bread on the grill, toasting both sides until you have strong grill marks. Line the toasted slices back onto the cookie sheet and set aside.

Mix the pesto and ricotta together in a small bowl. Spread the mixture onto the toasted bread, spoon the tomato mixture onto each slice and garnish with basil chiffonade and parmesan. Drizzle with balsamic glaze right before serving.

I hope you had the pleasure of growing your own tomatoes this year, but if you are currently a loft dweller like me, run to your farmer's market this weekend and enjoy a batch of summer harvest before the season ends!

Note: Any leftover tomatoes make a great Pasta al pomodoro for a Meatless Monday dinner option.

Enjoy!

Xoxo,
Amelia