Cucumber & Tomato with Bruschetta – the perfect summer time appetizer!
Everyone loves tomato and basil bruschetta and recently I decided to mix things up a bit. The typical recipe includes red onion, which can be too overwhelming during a party. So for my last batch, I replaced it with an English Cucumber and it was the hit of the party!
I also used red wine vinegar, instead of balsamic to keep the flavors zippy and light. When entertaining, I serve the tomato mixture in bowl, next to the bruschetta. This allows guests to pile on as much as they want, or very little.
Most recipes for bruschetta have you baking the bread in the oven. I love to fry mine in a mixture of olive oil and butter. My father-in-law goes crazy for my bruschetta and it’s because it’s crunchy, yet soft. It does take a bit more time, but it’s worth it. When serving this on our boat, I make it ahead of time at home, as we don’t have the space to fry the bread.
Enjoy!
| Prep Time | 20 min |
| Cook Time | 20 min |
| Servings |
people
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- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick)
- 3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 long French baguette, sliced into 1/2" slices
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 ea garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 large English cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and chopped
- 3 cups Cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Ingredients
Cucumber & Tomato
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- In a small bowl, melt the butter and mix with the olive oil. Add red pepper flakes, garlic salt and ground pepper. Heat skillet to medium high heat – watch your heat as you go, as to not scorch your bread.
- Using a basting brush, slather both sides of the bread with the olive oil mixture and fry until golden on both sides. Remove with tongs onto a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. If not serving immediately, allow to cool and then cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
- In a medium bowl, mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cucumber, tomato and chopped fresh basil. Toss gently to mix. Serve within an hour.
