Bruschetta II
This Italian appetizer made of bread, fresh spinach, and some other goodies is great for serving at parties. A French baguette is a long, narrow loaf of French bread. I like to garnish the bruschetta with more basil.
This Italian appetizer made of bread, fresh spinach, and some other goodies is great for serving at parties. A French baguette is a long, narrow loaf of French bread. I like to garnish the bruschetta with more basil.
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped
- 8 oz french baguette
- 1 1/2 cups spinach packed, rinsed and torn
- 3 cups almonds finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onion thinly sliced
- Carbohydrate 25.5433335164122 g
- Cholesterol 2.75000000350403 mg
- Fat 20.3537385125177 g
- Fiber 5.42685884090848 g
- Protein 12.524577581314 g
- Saturated Fat 2.19539113439162 g
- Serving Size 1 1 appetizer serving (97g)
- Sodium 714.287650212039 mg
- Sugar 20.1164746755037 g
- Trans Fat 1.14031699135013 g
- Calories 319 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Arrange the bread slices on a non-stick cookie sheet.
- In an electric blender or food processor combine the spinach, Parmesan, almonds, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until a paste forms. Pulse in 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue pulsing until the mixture is the consistency of soft butter.
- In a small mixing bowl combine chopped tomatoes, green onion and 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir.
- Bake the bread slices for 5 minutes or until crisp and brown.
- Arrange toast on a serving platter. Spread each piece of toast with a thin layer of the blended pesto, then top with the tomato mixture.
Finely chopped almonds do the heaviest lifting in this build, providing the structural density that holds the herbaceous paste together without requiring a traditional pine nut base. When processed alongside spinach, parmesan, and fresh herbs, the almonds create a rich emulsion that easily spreads across crisp bread without making the crumb soggy.
Achieving the Ideal Emulsion and Toast
Operating in a compact kitchen means relying on versatile countertop appliances. A standard food processor handles the almond and spinach blending efficiently, provided you pulse the olive oil in slowly. Pouring the oil too quickly breaks the emulsion and results in an oily separation rather than a smooth, buttery paste. Toast the French baguette slices at 425 degrees F for precisely 5 minutes on a non-stick cookie sheet to develop a rigid surface capable of supporting both the heavy pesto layer and the juicy tomato topping.
- If the food processor blades spin without catching the dry ingredients, stop the motor and scrape down the bowl sides manually.
- Drain excess liquid from the chopped tomatoes through a fine-mesh sieve for two minutes before mixing them with green onions to prevent the toasted bread from turning rubbery.
- Store leftover pesto in an airtight glass container pressed with a thin layer of olive oil on top for up to 48 hours to prevent oxidation.
