Fall Bruschetta

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Hubby and I are off to Canada for a long weekend today. We’re going to see Niagara Falls with some friends from college. I’m really looking forward to the extra long weekend. But don’t worry, I have some posts scheduled to keep you guys company while we’re away. I finally admitted to myself (and my stomach) that fall has arrived. So now I’m starting to get really excited about all the fall baking that I have coming up!

This bruschetta screams fall to me. I brought it to Megan’s surprise birthday party and it was a big hit. As you can see, the recipe includes butternut squash, apple, and eggplant. I honestly couldn’t taste the apple or eggplant, so if I made this again, I’d probably leave them out unless I had some in the house to get rid of… Since I can’t eat ricotta, I subbed goat cheese. Feel free to use whichever you prefer. When the topping came out of the oven, I tasted it and thought it needed some texture. So I added some toasted walnuts. The texture was a nice addition and I’m glad I made it!

This fall bruschetta is a great appetizer to bring to a potluck or party. I brought all of the components (toasts, goat cheese, and topping), then assembled them once we got to Megan’s place. It worked out really well.

One Year Ago: Pizza Dough
Four Years Ago: Tofu and Veggies in Peanut Sauce

Fall Bruschetta

Yield: Serves 10

Ingredients:

For the Toasts:
1 baguette
Olive oil

For the Caramelized Onion:
1 red onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar

For the Topping:
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups peeled & cubed butternut squash
1 1/2 cups finely diced eggplant, unpeeled
1 cup finely diced apple,unpeeled
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1 cup goat cheese, at room temp

Directions:

To make the Toasts:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the baguette into 1/2" slices & lay them out on a baking sheet. Drizzle the bread slices with some olive oil & bake for about 5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Set aside.

To make the Caramelized Onions:
Quarter & thinly slice the onion. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the onions, balsamic vinegar & sugar. Cook until the onions are softened & all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside.

To make the Topping:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, toss the butternut squash, eggplant, apple, 1 Tbsp olive oil & smoked paprika. Season with salt & pepper. Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet & bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the squash is just tender.

Transfer to a mixing bowl; add the onions and walnuts. Toss well. Check for seasoning & add a bit more salt & pepper, if needed.

To assemble:
Spread a bit of ricotta cheese over each toast, then spoon some of the bruschetta on top. Transfer to a serving platter & serve.

Recipe adapted from The Parsley Thief

Appetizers / Snacks

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11 Responses to “Apple Cranberry Cake-Pie”

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1

nutmegnanny — November 16, 2009 at 4:02 pm

This looks so homey and delicious!
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2

lilybeth12 — November 16, 2009 at 9:39 pm

RDQ: where should I add the cranberries? did you substitute them for the raisins? can i use fresh cranberries?
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3

Jen — November 17, 2009 at 12:04 am

Sorry – I updated the recipe to reflect that I used dried cranberries in place of the raisins.
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4

Jane — November 22, 2009 at 12:29 am

Looks just delicious! I’m crazy lately about cranberries too. Talk about a versatile fruit! I just used them this evening to make a cranberry-apple conserve that served as the sauce for almond-crusted pork tenderloin. It was a big hit.
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5

Lisa — November 22, 2009 at 3:09 am

I also wonder if you can use fresh cranberries since they are in season!
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Jen — November 22, 2009 at 4:57 pm

You could definitely make this with fresh cranberries if you wanted.
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Lisa — November 22, 2009 at 6:15 pm

How long did you bake this if you halved it in a 8 by 8 pan? So excited to try it 🙂
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Jen — November 22, 2009 at 7:43 pm

I think I started checking it at 30 minutes and left it in for about 45 based on the color of the top layer.
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Lucy — November 22, 2009 at 11:03 pm

I’ve seen this recipe around before but it never fails to look so delicious! Gorgeous flavours 🙂
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Lisa — November 23, 2009 at 2:19 am

Me again. It is DELICIOUS! I halved the recipe and used 1 cup of fresh cranberries, though I think I could have used more.

Thanks so much!
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Jen — November 23, 2009 at 2:26 am

Glad to hear it Lisa! I will definitely have to try this with fresh cranberries next time I make it.