Bruschetta Recipe with Two Different Toppings...

Bruschetta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Black Olives

Bruschetta with sauteed Onions and Mushrooms and topped with Black Olives

After watching the movie Julia/Julie, I wanted to make the Bruschetta that the character made at the beginning of the movie. I found the recipe in the Joy of Cooking cookbook and decided to make it. Since a couple of people in our family doesn't eat tomatoes, I decided to create this dish using two different toppings and both came out fabulous. So, here is the recipe with a few twists that our son, Ethan, and I added to it. He was a huge help in sauteing the mushrooms and onions. 

2 loaves of baguette bread

1/2 cup of butter, real butter

4 cups of diced fresh Roma tomatoes

1 tablespoon of finely chopped basil

2 cups of diced sweet onion

3 cups of sliced mushrooms (I used portabella and white mushrooms, half and half)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup minced garlic

olive oil

salt

pepper

1. Wash and dice the tomatoes into small pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Add the basil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir. Cover and set aside.
3. Wash, peel and dice the onion into small pieces.
4. Wash and slice the mushrooms.
5. Place the butter into a large skillet to melt. When the butter has melted pour it into a glass bowl and leave on the stove so it will stay melted. Put 2 teaspoons of the butter back into the skillet.
6. Add a layer of the mushrooms but don't crowd them, they won't brown (Julia Child says that =). This is a patient process. Cook all the mushrooms just like this until they are brown and soft.
7. Place the sauteed mushrooms in a drainer so that they won't have access butter/water in the mixture. Continually add teaspoons of the butter to the skillet with each batch of mushrooms/onions sauteed so that the skillet doesn't burn the mushrooms.
8. Add the onions to the skillet in a single layer with some of the butter. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Continue this process until all the onions are sauteed.
9. Allow the onions to drain with the mushrooms and toss them together.
10. Cut the baguette in half lengthwise. Then cut it into 6 even pieces.
11. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the pieces on it.
12. Broil in the oven until the bread is lightly toasted.
13. Remove from the oven, rub in olive oil.
14. Top the baguette lightly with minced garlic and cover in mozzarella cheese.
15. Then place back into the oven on broil until the cheese is melted. Watch carefully so that they don't burn.
16. Divide the baguette between to plates. Top one set with the onion/mushroom mixture and top the other with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle all with salt, pepper, mozzarella cheese and black olives to garnish.
17. (Optional) Sour cream on the side is a taste addition too.

My family loved this!! Ethan came up with some additional toppings that we must try in the near future. Both toppings were wonderful and both had very different flavors...Enjoy!

Love, Blessings, & {{{Hugs}}},
RHC
www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com