Olive Garden Bruschetta

By Edoo

Menu Description: "A traditional topping of roma tomatoes, fresh basil and extra-virgin olive oil. Served with freshly toasted ciabatta bread."

Olive Garden's recently redesigned bruschetta recipe improves on the Italian chain's previous version. The tomato salad includes a little sun-dried tomato and balsamic vinegar, and it is now served in a separate dish rather than on the bread. Now the bread doesn't get soggy. The tomatoes are finely diced before mixing with the other ingredients, and the ciabatta bread is sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan cheese before it's toasted. Try to find a nice, chewy loaf of Italian bread for this dish -- get the best bread in the store. The better your bread, the better your bruschetta.

Source: "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2" by Todd Wilbur.

Ingredients

• 3 firm roma tomatoes, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons diced marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 9 to 10 slices ciabatta bread (or Italian bread)
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• pinch dried parsley flakes

Details

Servings 4
Cooking time 65mins
Adapted from topsecretrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Olive Garden's recently redesigned bruschetta recipe improves on the Italian chain's previous version. The tomato salad includes a little sun-dried tomato and balsamic vinegar, and it is now served in a separate dish rather than on the bread. Now the bread doesn't get soggy. The tomatoes are finely diced before mixing with the other ingredients, and the ciabatta bread is sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan cheese before it's toasted. Try to find a nice, chewy loaf of Italian bread for this dish -- get the best bread in the store. The better your bread, the better your bruschetta.

2. When you are ready to serve the dish, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

3. Combine Parmesan cheese with dried parsley in a small bowl. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a couple pinches of the Parmesan cheese mixture over each bread slice. Bake for 5 minutes or until the bread starts to crisp.

4. Pour tomato mixture into a serving dish (strain off the liquid), and serve it up alongside the toasted bread slices.

Add ratings and review

this is such a good way to use up the tomatoes in your garden. The fresh tomatoes make this dish PERFECT!

This so simple and delicious. I melt some butter and add some crushed roasted garlic. Spread this on the bread before grilling. I also like to add some Mithra or a nice goat cheese to this recipe. Perfect.

Wow, good as is!!! Will make this again and again and again.

The possibilities are endless to make it your own. For the BEST flavor crush fresh garlic and add it 1/4 cup olive oil, nuke it for a minute and then paint the bread with this first before heating the bread in the oven. WONDERFUL flavor. Another great addition are tiny dollops of ricotta cheese and then sprinkle with parsley...too yummy.

Adding red onion finishes it off.

I like mine garlicky so I add a clove or two of minced roasted garlic. Another favourite variation is to crumble goat cheese on top and broil for a couple minutes to soften the cheese. It also works without broiling.

I add some finely cubed mozzarella. Even my kids love it!

this is a great recipe. i make it but i add fresh shrimp and a boatload of chopped red onion.