Bruschetta with Peppers and Blue Cheese

Bruschetta with Peppers and Blue Cheese


I love blue cheese so much it's almost unnatural.
My passion knows no bounds
and brooks no interference in its efforts to satisfy its cravings.

I have dallied with gorgonzola but find it weak and a little wishy-washy.
To tempt me, it has to be Danish blue, he of the pungent aroma and sharp bite.
I like a lot of sass in my food and my men.

If it had been up to me, this pan would have been rife with blue cheese,
and, oh, yeah, better put some peppers on there, too.

It's a little hard to distinguish, but I placed all the bread slices on the pan
and then sprinkled them with all the toppings.
Much, much easier than making each one individually.

I've even included before and after pics so you can see what it looks like before
going into the oven, and then all the creamy goodness when the cheese melts
in the third picture.

Bruschetta with Peppers and Blue Cheese
(adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
by Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing bread
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into short, thin strips
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into short, thin strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into short, thin strips
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12-15 1 inch slices of fresh baguette
4-5 oz. Danish blue cheese at room temperature

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add all the peppers and saute' for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Sprinkle with the sugar and saute' for 2-3 more minutes. Stir in the basil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Arrange the bread slices in rows on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Brush each slice lightly with olive oil and toast for 7-10 minutes until lightly browned.*

Top each toast with a spoonful of the pepper mixture and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles. Return to the oven for a minute or two to warm the cheese. Sprinkle with salt and serve.


I skipped a step and omitted toasting the bread first. Instead I piled on the toppings and broiled them until the cheese looked slightly melted.