Happy Canada Day! With covid restrictions loosening in our home and native land, many of us will be gathering with friends and family to celebrate. So how can you serve your fave party treats while staying safe? With individual hot cheesy bruschetta bread bowls of course! These are a guaranteed crowd pleaser because let’s be honest - who hasn’t thought about eating a whole bread bowl to their face before? I like serving the extra bruschetta on the side so that you have something to eat the dip soaked bread with at the end. Happy Canada y’all!
Makes 6 bread bowls
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 head of garlic, peeled
6 crusty buns (like Calabrese rolls)
1 cup white beans
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbs lemon juice
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
2 tbs onion, minced
1/2 cup basil, torn or chiffonade
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat on the stove. While it is heating, peel the head of garlic and smash the cloves. Drop all of the cloves into the oil then reduce the heat down to low. Simmer the garlic for 15 minutes until light golden and fragrant. Strain the garlic to separate from the oil. Set both the garlic and the oil aside.
2. Remove the tops of the buns and tear into bite sized pieces. Add to a small mixing bowl. Using a knife, cut out the inside of each bun so that you are left with a hollow bowl. Tear up the scooped out bread and put in the bowl with the torn up tops. Toss with 1-2 tbs of the garlic oil until coated. Brush the bread bowls with the garlic oil as well. Place the bowls and the torn bread on a parchment or foil lined baking tray (you can use two if it doesn’t all fit on one). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 375 F.
3. To a food processor, add the beans, cream cheese, ricotta cheese, lemon juice, reserved garlic cloves, and 1 tbs of the garlic oil. Pulse until you have a thick, smooth paste. Remove contents into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In another small bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, basil, balsamic vinegar, 2 tbs of the garlic oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set in the fridge.
5. Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the bread bowls. Top each bowl with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble. Spoon about 2 tbs of bruschetta onto each bowl. Put any remaining bruschetta into a bowl. Serve hot with the torn toasted bread and remaining bruschetta.