brilliant bruschetta

This recipe is fantastic for parties (following the method below), or just for lunch or as a starter at dinner if you use larger slices of bread. It is absolutely bursting with flavour and is so easy to make. It is also, dare I say it, pretty healthy. If you find you don’t need the full quantity of topping mixture, any leftovers it can be stirred into pasta or used as a filling for empanadas.

Sundried Tomato and Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta

0.5 cup sundried tomotoes, chopped (you want the dehydrated ones, not the ones in oil)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 baguette + a few tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 portobello mushrooms, finely chopped and stalks removed
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely shredded

Preheat oven to 200ºC.

Soak the tomatoes in about half a cup of boiling water for around 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crostini: slice the baguette into around 20 thin rounds, lay them on a baking tray and brush with olive oil. Put in the oven for around 10 minutes until crisp and golden, turning halfway through to ensure even browning.

Purée the soaked tomatoes, the water and the balsamic vinegar in a blender and set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat until they are tender and the liquid released from the mushrooms has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir into the tomato mixture, then add the chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve piled onto the crunchy cooled crostini.

Makes around 20.