Restaurant Food at Home for Less: Bruschetta

After being inspired by a recent anniversary dinner at a fancy restaurant, I decided to try recreating one of my favorite appetizers – bruschetta.

Bruschetta is an appetizer that originated in Italy. It consists of a small piece of toasted or grilled bread that is rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, salt, pepper, or other seasonings. American bruschetta is also commonly topped with cheese, basil, and tomatoes.

The bruschetta I copied is a version of the common cheese/tomato appetizer. I had a lot to go from since the menu at the restaurant informed me that the bruschetta topping was made from goat cheese with a marinade of olives and balsamic vinegar. On the side were diced tomatoes with basil seasoning. The dish I came up with tasted almost exactly like the restaurant dish, and cost much less!

Ingredients:
Bread for grilling or toasting – French or Italian
Small portion of Goat cheese (I found goat cheese with basil mixed in already, or you can mix in your own)
Basil
6-7 Green olives
1 can Diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic (you can also use garlic salt)

Method:
Mince a handful of green olives (about 6-7) and place in a small bowl. You can use a food processor for a finer mince. Drizzle the olives with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Mix well.
In another bowl, combine diced tomatoes (canned or fresh) with about 3 tsp. basil and mix.
Slice bread at an angle and place on a clean surface to prepare for seasoning.
Rub with a smashed clove of garlic, or sprinkle with garlic salt. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, and basil. For authentic bruschetta, grill the bread pieces on a grill. You can get a smiliar effect from using an electric kitchen grill as shown below. You can also broil for several minutes on each side until bread is golden brown, use a toaster oven, or a hot regular oven to toast the bread.
To serve:
Roll cheese into a ball and create a cylinder shape. Place cheese on appetizer plate. Spoon a thin layer of olive mixture onto the top of cheese cylinder. Place a small amount of tomato/basil mixture around the cheese and arrange toasted bread on the outside of the plate.
When ready to eat, spread cheese/olives onto toast and top with tomatoes. Enjoy!
Restaurant bruschetta: $14 (!)
My home-made similar bruschetta: $5
Total savings: $9