Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Ingredients

Oven-roasting really sweetens the red bell pepper and tomato, adding a caramel nutiness that fresh fruit (yes peppers and tomatoes are fruits) doesn't offer.  The addition of our own Italian Spice Blend contributes a complex blend of Mediterranean spices including porcinini mushroom, but even without, fresh chopped herbs sprinkled overtop provide more than enough delicious flavour. Yellow or orange peppers provide beautiful contrast but aren't as sweet as red.

• 1 large, firm but ripe tomato, or a large handful of cherry tomatoes.
• 1 small sweet red bell pepper
• few sprigs of fresh herbs of choice - we used curly basil but oregano and/or sage work well.
• 1 French baguette or thin Tuscan (Italian) loaf cut on an angle into 1/3 inch (3/4 cm) slices.
• excellent quality, extra virgin olive oil like Domenica Fiore
• soft goat cheese for crumbling (we use the creamy variety for its silkiness when melted)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half (optional)
• Sea salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon super-fine Italian Spices (no salt, sugar added). We use our CH blend (optional)

Methodology

Preheat oven to 375F.  Wash pepper and tomato.  Remove core, white pith and seeds from pepper, then slice and dice quite small. Do the same with the tomato, taking care to remove the slimy bits.  But both dice in a small bowl and drizle with olive oil.  Turn onto a baking sheet with shallow sides - lined with foil if you like.  Spread mixture evenly for heat and to allow slight evaporation. Sprinkle uniformly with a large pinch of sea salt if using, plus the Italian Spice if using.

Place the baking sheet on the centre rack in the oven and roast for 15 minutes or so until you can see and smell the caramelization.  Remove from oven and set aside, but leave the oven on. While topping is resting, grill the bread slices just on a grill pan or in the oven, to the light grillmark stage (or lightly toasted). Turn slices and toast the bottoms.  Run the cut side of the garlic halves quickly and gently over the top surface of each slice. Set aside.

Toss the roasted fruit to distribute oil salt and spices, then place a small amount on each slice of bread, leaving a bit of space all around the edge to maintain crunch.  Use your fingers to pinch small bits of  goat cheese onto each slice.  Place slices on a baking sheet or oven-proof platter and turn the oven temperature up to broil.

When temperature is reached, place the lot on the top rack in the oven, but leave the door open so you can check often. Remove the tray from the oven the moment the goat cheese starts ti brown - this will happen quickly.  Just before serving, garnish with fresh-chopped or chiffonade herbs.

Both the bread slices and the cut fruit can be made the morning of a party and left covered (with cloth, not plastic), at room temperature until needed.  The bread may need a quick refresher in the oven before topping.

Submitted by:

Maddy in the C@H Kitchen