Roasted Tomato Bruschetta With Bacon

Bacon always makes everything better- right?

I was asked a few months ago if I would help someone prepare a few things for her son’s wedding.  They had that period of time between the wedding and reception where they were hosting friends and family for several hours. A full day of wedding celebration!  Of course, I said I would love to help, it was such an honor to be asked!  For my part, I decided to whip together a few appetizer bites that would class up the occasion.  Today I thought I’d share the bruschetta that I made, because it turned out quite delicious.

I originally found my inspiration in an old Everyday Food magazine- it was a recipe for Grilled Tomato Bruschetta.  It sounded different and refreshing, so I picked up the appropriate ingredients and then had to do a few tweaks.  First off, the day I put the tomato mixture together, it was rainy and drizzly, and I had just gotten back earlier that day from a week camping, and the last thing I wanted to do was stand outside in potential drizzle and grill tomatoes.  So I roasted the plum tomatoes in the oven instead, and that worked quite well.   I combined ingredients, and toasted up some baguette slices, and then was promptly disappointed with the bruschetta.  There was something missing… so I slept on it. And woke up the next morning knowing exactly what my bruschetta needed.

Bacon, of course.

So I ran to the store, picked up a pound of bacon and a tub of grated Parmesan, because I also thought it needed a salty/nutty element.  I assembled a bruschetta with the tomato mixture, topped that with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and some cooked, crumbled bacon.  It was perfect.  I do wonder if I had grilled the tomatoes if I would have needed the smokey bacon, but no matter- everyone loved these appetizers, and since they were easy enough to make ahead and assemble when needed, they are a fantastic idea for a take-along nibble.

Here is my adapted recipe… I can’t say for sure how many appetizers this makes- at least 60, but of course, your mileage may vary.  I’ll pop this into the recipe trove later on, but for now, it will have to do here… I’m having technical difficulties with the trove this morning, and I simply don’t have time to tend to it.

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Bacon

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing bread slices

3 pounds plum or roma tomatoes, sliced in half and juice and seeds removed

salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 baguettes, sliced into thin slices

1 clove garlic, cut in half

Parmesan cheese

1 pound bacon, diced and fried until crispy

Preheat oven to 450ºF.  In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the tomatoes and the salt and pepper.  Give a good toss, and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for ten minutes, flip the tomatoes over, and bake for another ten minutes.  Remove from oven to cool slightly.

Once cool enough to handle, chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl- remove the skins if they fall off completely.  Add the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and reserved 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Toss well, and season with salt and pepper as desired.  This mixture can be refrigerated at this point, for up to several days.

On the day of service, spread out the baguette slices on a baking sheet.  Brush with olive oil, and then rub the breads with the cut side of the clove of garlic.  Bake in a 450ºF oven for 10-15 minutes, or until toasted, but not browned on top. Set aside to cool.

Top each toast slice with 1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato mixture, followed by a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkling of bacon pieces.

Serve immediately.