Long live bruschetta! Oh yes, because bruschetta is a simple appetizer, quick to prepare, tasty and always much appreciated by everyone. You can indulge yourself with the ingredients, create delicious and also very balanced combinations that include the carbohydrates of the bread, lots of fibre, vitamins and mineral salts thanks to the added vegetables, but also proteins, such as those of anchovies, cheese or dried fruit. And then the bruschetta allows you to take in a joyful way some foods that are considered real health elixirs, such as garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Did you know that research carried out a few years ago by the University of Glasgow observed that consuming 4 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil every day for 6 weeks, as can happen when enjoying bruschetta, protects the heart and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (Sandra et al, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015)? Not to mention the garlic, which is eaten raw in bruschetta, in order to preserve its antidiabetic, cardioprotective, anticancer, antimicrobial and even hepatoprotective properties as much as possible (Bayan et al, Avicenna J Phytomed, 2014). In short, long live bruschetta and all its delicious variations. Here today we offer some ideas but the possibilities are truly endless, as is your imagination! Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients for 4 people
4 slices of wholemeal durum wheat semolina bread
2 cloves of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients for the bruschetta "alla marinara", Italian style
200 grams of cherry tomatoes
4 anchovies in oil
1 tablespoon of capers
1 tablespoon of pitted olives
Origan
Ingredients for bruschetta with peperonata
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 spring onion
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Ingredients for the parmesan bruschetta
1/2 aubergine
4 tablespoons cooked tomato sauce (perhaps leftover sauce)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Basil leaves
Ingredients for delicious bruschetta
100 grams of feta cheese
8 walnuts
Rocket salad, a couple of handfuls
Balsamic vinegar
Preparation of bruschetta alla marinara
This is the classic tomato bruschetta enriched with a source of protein given by anchovies. Here is his preparation. Cut the cherry tomatoes into coarse pieces and pour them into a bowl. Season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and oregano, mix. Quickly toast the bread then rub the surface with garlic. Place the cherry tomatoes on the part rubbed with garlic. Complete with the anchovy fillets in pieces, the capers and the sliced olives.
Preparation of bruschetta with peperonata
Here is a way to fill up on carotenoids, powerful antioxidants contained in sweet peppers. Cooking in a pan, in fact, preserves these substances (Hwang et al, Prev Nutr Food Sci, 2012). Clean the peppers and cut them into strips about 1 cm wide. Slice the stem of the spring onion. Pour a drizzle of oil into a large pan and brown the spring onion. Add the peppers and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Pour two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and two tablespoons of water. Close with the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes. Quickly toast the bread, then rub the garlic on the slices. Place the peperonata on the side rubbed with garlic and serve.
Preparation of the parmesan bruschetta
The antioxidant power of the aubergines remains stable even if subjected to heat following the grilling process. Indeed, studies have shown that the antioxidant content can even increase (Uchida et al, J Food Sci, 2017). Clean and cut the eggplant into slices about 1 cm thick. Arrange the aubergines on a colander and sprinkle with salt, leave to rest for half an hour so that they lose their water. Then rinse the aubergines, squeeze them gently and dry them. Cook the aubergines on both sides using a cast iron skillet or griddle. Quickly toast the bread and rub the slices with garlic. Arrange the grilled aubergines on the part with the garlic, spread the tomato sauce, grated Parmesan and decorate with fresh basil!
Preparation of the delicious bruschetta
Wash the rocket salad. Cut the walnuts into coarse pieces and the feta into cubes. Combine these ingredients in a bowl and season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Quickly toast the bread and rub it with garlic. Place the sauce prepared with rocket salad, feta and walnuts on the bread. The bruschetta is served, a rich source of vitamin C and carotenoids, thanks to the rocket salad, and of omega 3 fatty acids, thanks to the walnuts (Romano et al, Foods, 2022).
