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:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Ready your sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- Slice your strawberries into thin slices and shred your mint leaves.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cover your bowl and let sit for 5 minutes for the strawberries and mint to marinate.
- 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.
- 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:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 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.
- 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.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the goat cheese with the lemon juice. Smear this mixture onto each of your toasted baguette slices.
- Place a spoonful of mushrooms on top of each toasted baguette slice and add a dash of pepper before serving.
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