Healthy Bruschetta recipe

MANILA, Philippines — In Italy, Bruschetta is an antipasto (starter or appetizer).

It is served at the start of a meal to get your appetite going for the rest of the meal. Elsewhere, Bruschetta is served as a snack or light meal, much like an open-face sandwich. It consists of a slice of bread, usually a baguette or what we call French bread, which is toasted and rubbed with garlic, then topped with extra virgin olive oil, salt, diced tomatoes, basil chiffonade (fresh basil leaves sliced into very thin strips), and grated or shredded cheese. You can also create your own version by adding mushrooms, chopped cooked shrimps, blanched spinach, and other favorite ingredients of yours.

Ingredients:

2 pcs. ripe tomatoes

salt and pepper

6-7 pcs. fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

6 slices baguette or batard

extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

Procedure:

1. Wash and pat-dry tomatoes. Slice, remove seeds, and then dice the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare basil chiffonade. Place basil leaves one on top of the other.

3. Roll like a cigar.

4. Slice into very thin strips or chiffonade.

5. Separate the strips.

6. Grate or shred your Parmesan cheese if it is whole.

7. Lightly toast bread.

8. Rub one side of the toasted bread slices with fresh garlic clove to give the bread a hint of garlic flavor and aroma.

9. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheese,

10. Then layer with diced tomatoes, basil chiffonade and more cheese.

11.Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

12.Toast for 2 minutes and enjoy!

Makes 6 bruschettas.