Neve's Tomato, Olive and Mozzarella Bruschetta

Bonjour! Welcome back to my blog. I know it's been a while but I've started university again now, so I've been busy, busy, busy. Since this is a book and food blog, I'll let you know that I'm really enjoying my English Literature course this year. I'm studying British Romanticism and have thoroughly enjoyed William Blake's, 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell', and Mary Wollstonecraft's, 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman', and 'Maria: Or, The Wrongs of Woman', so far. Wollstonecraft's writing is fascinating, so ahead of its time and still relevant today. If you've got some time, I'd thoroughly recommend giving her works a read.

However, you're here to read my new recipe. I've been making my version of bruschetta for a few years and I love it! I'm a bit obsessed with cheese on toast so I decided to add mozzarella to mine, and it was great. Recently though, I've made it on olive ciabatta, and I thought that it was so lovely that I decided to add olives on top of the bruschetta too. I suppose it's not really a bruschetta any more, but it started off that way and has developed into something unique and tasty! It's a great option for lunch if you've got an oven grill handy, and is quick and simple to make. Without further ado, let's get to the recipe...

Ingredients:

1 Large Ciabatta or 1 Small Oven Baguette

1 Clove of Garlic

6 Cherry Tomatoes

10 Olives From a Jar

Salt

Pepper

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

2-3 Handfuls of Grated Mozzarella

-Serves 1

My Method:

Preheat the grill to 200℃, and the oven, according to the packet instructions, only if you have chosen to make your bruschetta on a baguette.
If you have chosen a ciabatta, slice it in half, lengthways through the centre, and lightly toast it. If you have gone for the oven baguette, follow the packet instructions to bake. Once baked, slice lengthways, through the centre, and place under the grill until lightly toasted and golden brown.
Finely chop your garlic and place into a bowl.
Quarter your tomatoes and add to the same bowl.
Half your olives and add to the bowl.
Add salt, pepper and the olive oil to the bowl.
Take 2 large handfuls (I was getting to the end of a packet so added 2 regular sized handfuls to finish it off, and then another from a new packet, so 3 of regular size) of the mozzarella and add to the bowl, then stir the contents until there is a light coating of the olive oil over everything.
Place your bread into an oven tray and spoon the contents of the bowl on top. Place under the grill for about 7 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and has begun to turn golden brown. This part can be quite tricky, as I have found that when using a baguette, the bread can tip over to one side and the toppings can fall off. Using ciabatta is easier, but if you still want to use a baguette, try leaning it against the side of your oven tray so that is is less likely to fall over.
You can serve with a little extra pepper and some fresh basil leaves. Eating with a knife and fork makes it easier!

This particular bruschetta was special for me as I got to see the fruits of our labour (quite literally!). It was made with our very own homegrown tomatoes which have begun to ripen as you as see below. I remember planting these with my dad at the start of the summer (feels like 1000 years ago the way this year is going!) and I've loved watching them grow along with all of our other fruit and vegetables.

Speaking of tomatoes, if you would prefer to make this recipe with no olives, that's absolutely fine! Just add a couple more cherry tomatoes and leave out the olives.

Overall:

Easy to Make - Very simple

Time Taken - About 15 mins

Taste - Amazing!

See my totally unfiltered, candid pictures below and enjoy!