October 2025
Tomato pesto bruschetta on sourdough paired with Great Frogs Silopanna Red and Chesapeake Red
Bruschetta can be easily transformed into an appetizer, a snack, or a light meal. The possibilities for creating a delectable bruschetta are virtually limitless. We opted for fresh sourdough, pesto, a diverse selection of cheeses, ripe tomatoes, and a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil. To make it a shareable dish, we added a couple of varieties of excellent Great Frogs, red wine, and voila! You have a simple yet delightful meal for two! Enjoy!
Ingredients for bruschetta
A good sourdough
Fresh tomatoes
Basil pesto
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Ricotta – optional
Fresh chopped basil.
Salt and pepper to taste
Homemade pesto or store bought, although fresh is usually better.
Pesto
½ cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups basil leaves
¼ cup extra–Virgin olive oil, less for a heavier pesto
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
In food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped.
Add the basil and pulse until combined.
With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.
Assemble Bruschetta
Spread pesto on one side of sourdough bread, sprinkle cheeses over top, (try a few with Ricotta),then slices of tomato. For these bruschetta, we used Roma, mortgage lifter, and a low acid orange tomato. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper if desired.
Cook
Grill for 5 min @ 450 degrees, then Broil for 4 min or until cheese is melted, bubbly. I used an air fryer that has both features. Using the bottom rack position for grilling, (using the grill pan), then moving the grill pan to the second highest position. This made for a crispy bottom and nicely melt to the cheese as well as cooking the tomato. Serve on plate with freshly chopped basil, Great Frogs wine.