FamTime Facefood - Caprese "salad" Bread with Balsamic Drizzle

 

Can bread be a salad? Hells ya... in my world.

Am I, as of recently, on an Italian food kick?... 

apparently. 

I actually hardly ever make Italian food, however my last 2 food stuff posts have both been of the Italian persuasion. If you haven't yet checked out Kitchen Experiment #10, aka The Open Faced Walnut Crusted Chicken Parmesan Sandwich with Roasted Tomato marinara, aka The Longest Named Sandwich Ever... I highly recommend you do so. 

 My lovely lab assistant, Sweets, claims it may be the best Kitchen Experiment to date. Bold statement, I know! As much as I trust his judgment I think it's always a good idea to get a second opinion.

Anyhoo, here's the dealio with the salad bread...  I basically put a Caprese Salad on bread and called it FamTime Face Food, which I made and served yesterday at a family get-together at Debbi J's Place (also known as my Mom's house )

If you were previously not familiar with the Caprese salad, it is a super simple salad of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil which originated on the Italian Island of Capri, located on the South side of the Gulf of Naples. This salad is a supreme example of how a few quality ingredients can equal something so delicious.

Here are the Caprese "salad" Bread ingredients:

(plus Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Drizzle, and fresh cracked S&P)

So to start, I individually wrapped 4 bulbs of garlic in foil (drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with S&P) and roasted for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven. When they were done and cooled, I squeezed them into a bowl, smashed with a fork, seasoned with more S&P, then drizzled in some more olive oil until a spreadable consistency.

While the garlic is roasting, combine 1 Cup of balsamic Vinegar with 1 T brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring this to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1/3 of a cup.  Let cool slightly and save until the end... This is now a yummy balsamic drizzle for serving your bread with.

To assemble, spread some of the garlic mixture on each piece of bread. Then top with slices of tomato and fresh Mozzarella. Garnish each with a basil leaf, another drizzle of olive oil, and some more cracked pepper. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 400 degrees, then broil for a couple minutes to brown up the cheese.

Side Note: I would suggest layering the mozzarella THEN the tomato (opposite of what I did), unless you are using a very substantial bread such as ciabatta. This will prevent soggy bread from the tomato juice. I used a wheat bread and a french baguette which both got a little soft from the juice.

 

Drizzle the Balsamic reduction up on top and you got yourself some Caprese "salad" Bread. I highly recommend enjoying with a lovely glass of Red. 

Peace & Love, 

Chandra Nicole

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