Garden Bruschetta with Eggplant & Ricotta

We are halfway through another week of this quickly-fading season.  To me, there are several foods that are essential to the Summer season, and bruschetta is unquestionably one of them.     

Tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and a perfectly toasted baguette.  What could go wrong?  Nothing at all...

I have an aunt who makes some pretty amazing bruschetta.  

After the tomato mixture has been polished off, there is always a fair amount of liquid left in the bottom of the bowl.  Drinking those garlicky-juices with my aunt is one of my favorite memories.  

For this recipe I got fancy with eggplant and ricotta, because there is always room for ricotta.  

The bruschetta mixture can be made several hours before you intend to serve it.  A healthy amount of refrigerator time helps the flavors meld and develop.

Tomatoes are chopped, garlic is minced, (why do my hands constantly smell like garlic?), eggplant is sautéed, and ricotta is spread over toasts.  

This is the simple pleasure to end all simple pleasures. 

Happy Wednesday friends!  

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie 

Garden Bruschetta with Eggplant & Ricotta

serves 6 / recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine 

- 1 1/2 cups heirloom tomatoes, diced

- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade 

- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use

- 2 large garlic cloves, minced

- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use (plus extra for toasts)

- 1 cup eggplant, diced

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta 

- French baguette, sliced into 24 slices about 1/2 inch thick

In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Stir to thoroughly combine and cover with plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  

In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Add diced eggplant and 1/4 teaspoon salt and sauté until the eggplant begins to brown on the edges.  

Add 1/4 cup of water and reduce heat to medium.  Cook until the eggplant is soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add eggplant to the tomato mixture.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Place oven on its broiler setting.  

Brush both sides of the sliced baguette with olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Toast under the broiler until the toasts are a deep golden color.  

Spread each toast with ricotta and top with the tomato and eggplant mixture.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!