Eggplant, Mushroom, Ricotta & Asiago Bruschetta

My dear, dear friend brought me some of her precious rustic rosemary pepper bread … and I was SO delighted! I had seen this recipe for Eggplant Bruschetta and already had dreams of eggplant and bruschetta dancing in my mind … I just needed some rustic bread to make it happen … some days, if you make little wishes, the rustic bread of your dreams may just appear on your doorstep …

(I’m still waiting for the handsome prince wish to come true … he stopped by a few weeks ago, and we had a lovely dinner together … but then he disappeared … sigh … perhaps this is just an issue of patience. Or perhaps he’s not my prince. I haven’t figured that puzzle out yet …)

BUT I did figure out the eggplant bruschetta puzzle … I kind of made up my own eggplant bruschetta recipe … and oh my this turned out good … I think I will just revel in this bruschetta dream for a bit longer. The prince can wait.

Eggplant, Mushroom, Ricotta & Asiago Bruschetta

• 3 baby lavender eggplants, chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
• 4 – 6 fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 t. olive oil
• Basil vinaigrette (recipe below)
• Rustic crusty bread, sliced … I think if your bread is not rosemary pepper bread, you might want to add some finely chopped rosemary and extra fresh ground pepper to the eggplant mixture
• Pesto
• Lowfat ricotta cheese
• Shredded Asiago cheese
• Chopped fresh tomatoes from the garden
• Basil leaves for garnish

Roast the eggplant by spreading in a thin layer on a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with salt, then bake in a 350 degree oven about 5 minutes. Stir the eggplant and bake a few more minutes or until soft.

Coat a frying pan with cooking spray, then add the olive oil. Sautee the eggplant, onion, garlic, and mushroom briefly until the mushrooms and onion are soft. Toss with 1 – 2 T. basil vinaigrette (recipe below).

Meanwhile, lightly toast several slices of the rustic bread. Spread each slice with a thin layer of pesto, then the ricotta, then sprinkle on some shredded asiago cheese onto each round of bread. Put the bruschetta on a baking tray and bake at 400 degrees F. for about 5-10 minutes or until the asiago is melted and bubbly.

Top with the eggplant/mushroom mixture and some freshly chopped tomatoes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Basil Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

This dressing is so versatile … it’s great on a salad, of course, but also makes for a very quick tasty bruschetta!

I found this recipe on Farm Fresh Living when I was looking for a way to use up some of my plentiful basil (besides pesto!). I used a LOT more basil than the recipe called for. And I adjusted it quite a bit … like I always do …

Ingredients:

• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1-2 tablespoons Garlic peppercorn mustard (or Dijon)
• 1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Juice from 1/2 orange
• 1 small tomato diced
• Several BIG handfuls of basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra- virgin organic olive oil

Toss all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.

Use a little to make your lovely bruschetta, then store the rest in the fridge for your next fantastic basilicious creation.

This recipe was shared at Katherine Martinelli’s Eggplant Bloghop.

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