Beautiful and versatile, brushetta may be Italy’s most popular appetizer. Entertaining this summer? Before the main course, surprise your guests with a trio of colorful bruschettas and enjoy them with perfectly paired wines.

 

Smoked Salmon Avocado Bruschetta - Pair with Weed Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 

The crisp, refreshing acidity in Weed Cellars’ Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the fats and oils of the avocado, almost like a palate cleanser. The wine’s unique saline quality complements smoked salmon’s characteristic saltiness.

 

Servings: 8

Total Time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados
8 slices of Italian bread, each ½- inch thick
2 Tablespoons fresh olive oil
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
4 ounces smoked salmon
2 cups of Arugula
Sesame seeds, to taste

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Slice the baguette into ½- inch slices and brush both sides with olive oil. Place them into the oven, bake for 5 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other.
3. Halve your avocados, remove their pits, and scoop out their flesh into a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice, black pepper and salt. Using a fork, mash the ingredients together until your mixture is a good mix of smooth and chunky.
4. Spread the mixture on each slice of toasted bread. Top with a bed of Arugula and two to three slices of smoked salmon, each. Sprinkle sesame seeds to taste.

 

Burrata and Strawberry Bruschetta - Pair with Weed Cellars Sparkling Rosé

Sweet bruschetta is best paired with a wine with residual sugar. Weed Cellars’ Italian Sparkling Rosé is its perfect match in every way – this semi-sweet sparkler is anchored in strawberries, on the nose and on the palate. Its mousse creates a creamy mouthfeel, perfect for pairing with creamy cheeses, such as Burrata.

 

Servings: 8

Total Time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients:
8 slices sourdough baguette, each ½- inch thick
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
8 ounces strawberries
8 ounces Burrata cheese
16 mint leaves
1 dash salt
Balsamic glaze, to taste

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Ready your sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Slice your strawberries into thin slices and shred your mint leaves.
3. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. Place slices on your sheet pan and bake on one side for 5 minutes. Flip them over and bake for another 5 minutes.
4. Gather the honey, a dash of salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl and whisk until your ingredients are integrated. Stir in the strawberries and mint.
5. Cover your bowl and let sit for 5 minutes for the strawberries and mint to marinate.
6. Place your strained Burrata onto a small plate and tear it into smaller pieces. Arrange generous portions of Burrata on each toasted baguette slice and add on two tablespoons of the marinated strawberry and mint mixture.
7. Drizzle each baguette slice with balsamic glaze and serve.

 

Mushroom Thyme Bruschetta - Pair with Weed Cellars Pinot Noir 

Mushroom is destined to be the perfect pairing for Pinot Noir. Weed Cellars’ Pinot has a medium body with exquisite earthy complexity, which shines through when paired with savory mushrooms and rustic thyme. The perfect appetizer-and-wine pairing to usher in a bold entrée that may be paired with a stronger, more tannic red.

 

Servings: 8

Total Time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients:
8 slices sourdough baguette, each ½- inch thick
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms
2 ounces goat cheese
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pepper, to taste
 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle a few grains of sea salt onto each slice and send it into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, flip the bread over, and bake for another 5 minutes.
3. Chop the mushrooms into thin slices. Coat a large pan with olive oil and sauté the mushrooms until golden. Add in the garlic and thyme and sauté for an additional minute.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the goat cheese with the lemon juice. Smear this mixture onto each of your toasted baguette slices.
5. Place a spoonful of mushrooms on top of each toasted baguette slice and add a dash of pepper before serving.