Get the Recipe: Cherry Tomato Bruschetta on Focaccia
With lightly toasted focaccia slices, spread with a honey, mascarpone, garlic and chili flake spread and topped with balsamic vinegar-marinated cherry tomatoes. Delightfully different and a great Summer appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 loaf focaccia, store-bought or homemade focaccia *see Note 1 below
- olive oil, for drizzling
For the cherry tomato topping:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the mascarpone spread:
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, *see Note 2 below
- 1/4 cup runny honey
- 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon red chili flakes, adjust to taste
- 1 - 2 Tablespoons fresh garlic, minced, adjust to taste
- pinch salt and freshly ground pepper
For serving:
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- microgreens or fresh chopped basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (regular bake setting/not convection or fan-assisted), with the rack in the centre of the oven. Cut the1 loaf focaccia (store-bought or homemade focaccia *see Note 1 below) into 6 thick (1-inch-ish) slices and place them cut side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (for drizzling) and toast in the oven until golden, about 8 minutes. Watch closely so you don't over-toast. You want the focaccia crisp on the edges but still chewy in the middle so it doesn’t become tough.
- In a medium bowl, combine the 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved), 1/2 small red onion (diced), 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup fresh basil (coarsely chopped), salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste). Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (*see Note 2 below), 1/4 cup runny honey, 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste), 1 - 2 Tablespoons fresh garlic (minced, adjust to taste) and pinch salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
- On a large serving plate or individual plates, lay out the toasted focaccia slices. Spread generously with the mascarpone spread. Using a slotted spoon, top the bruschetta with a generous pile of cherry tomatoes, then use a spoon to grab some of the marinating liquid from the bowl and drizzle it over the tomatoes.
- Garnish the bruschetta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and microgreens or fresh chopped basil (for garnish).
- Serve immediately. This bruschetta is quite sturdy and is intended to be picked up and enjoyed as finger food.
Notes
Note 1: You can use a plain focaccia loaf or a flavoured loaf that would complement the tomatoes. I used a rosemary and sea salt focaccia here. If you'd like to make your own focaccia, see my Overnight Focaccia recipe.
Note 2: For a quick and easy mascarpone cheese substitution, combine 4 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (about 1/2 of a standard block), with 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 Tablespoon sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and a pinch of white sugar.
Tips!
Whipped ricotta would also work well with this recipe.
You can make all the components for this cherry tomato bruschetta several hours ahead to assemble later to serve. The toasted focaccia and cherry tomato mixture can sit covered at room temperature, but the mascarpone mixture should be refrigerated. Do note that the chili flakes will increase in intensity as they sit in the mascarpone, so keep this in mind when deciding how much to add if you are making ahead.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe. You'll find substitution suggestions, step-by-step photos and an FAQ that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 340kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 391mg, Potassium: 238mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 899IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 1mg
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