Have you ever thought of one particular dish that can please almost anyone on the dining table? For us, it is bruschetta. Any gathering will not be complete without a bruschetta. You can find so many variations on toppings of this popular antipasto. Chefs and home cooks offer modifications like adding extra toppings like shrimp while maintaining the primary components of bruschetta. Before we delve into the steps on how to make shrimp bruschetta, let us first get to know the beginnings of our featured appetizer. Hence, what is a bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a popular starter dish that has become a staple in every Italian restaurant menu. Its origin dates back to the 15th century, while other accounts say that bruschetta’s birth started in Ancient Rome. Many believed that bruschetta started from slices of bread drizzled with olive oil, a process used to test how good the newly harvested olive oils are. Over the years, this routine developed- it is not just for taste-testing olive oils as it has become a way to preserve bread. First coined as a “poor plate,” farmworkers use bread past its due date with a simple garnish composed of olive oil and sea salt before popping it in the oven. Throughout the years, bruschetta has made its way to every Italian stomach, making it a constant in every meal. Even non-Italians who have tried a bruschetta immediately fall in love with it.
Shrimp Bruschetta Recipe
Indeed, bruschetta’s origin started from humble beginnings while slowly making its way to being one of the best and well-loved Italian appetizers. With its rise in popularity, several cooks developed different recipes to create bolder bruschetta versions. But before you go into the more complex recipes, you first need to know how to make the classic ones. One more thing you have to remember in prepping for bruschetta is the ingredients-everything should be fresh and of the best quality. So you might be wanting to know how to make shrimp bruschetta and the undefeated classic bruschetta. Read on to know more.
Classic bruschetta
A classic bruschetta has a pretty straightforward recipe anyone can easily follow. You can perfect this dish loved by many by using the best quality ingredients you can find.
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of Tuscan or Italian bread (sliced diagonally, with a thickness of about ½ inch thick)
- 8 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of peeled garlic
- 4-5 pcs of diced vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes
- 1 cup of chopped ribbon basil
- Sea salt or Kosher salt as a garnish
Procedure:
- Prepare all the ingredients.
- In a bowl, mix and toss the chopped tomatoes with four tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes. The extra virgin olive oil will give more depth to the flavor.
- Using a grill, toast your bread slices until it is golden brown with light chargrilled marks. If you do not have a grill, you may use an oven toaster or a grill pan.
- Rub every slice of bread with garlic.
- Get your olive oil marinated tomatoes and put them on top of your bread slices. Garnish each slice of bread with sea salt and chopped basil, then drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on top.
Shrimp Bruschetta
Perfecting classic bruschetta gives you more room to explore different flavors to make a desirable upgrade on your toast. One of the most commonly approved addition to every bruschetta is seasoned shrimps that are either grilled or pan-fried. The shrimp adds volume to every bite with its slightly sweet, savory, and creamy flavor. The shrimp’s firm and crunchy texture also add more depth to the bruschetta, making every slice more flavorful and exciting. Let’s now learn how to make shrimp bruschetta.
Ingredients:
- 5-6 pcs of chopped Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes
- ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 cup of chopped basil
- 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp of coarse salt (sea salt or Kosher salt)
- ¼ tsp of black pepper
- 1 cup of mozzarella cheese (grated finely)
- 15 slices of Tuscan or Italian bread (sliced and ½ inch thick)
- 15 pcs of shrimp
- 7-8 tbsp of balsamic glaze
Procedure:
- For the topping, mix the tomatoes, garlic, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Let it be set on the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Toss your shrimp in olive oil with salt and pepper.
- Turn on your stove and heat your grill pan. Upon reaching medium heat, put in your shrimp and toss it until both sides are cooked. Make sure not to overcook your shrimp to avoid a gummy texture.
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- On a baking sheet, line up all your bread slices. Put one spoonful of your topping on every bread slice, followed by a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and shrimp at the top.
- Pop everything in the oven and set the timer for about 2-3 minutes.
- Drizzle every bread slice with ½ tablespoon of balsamic glaze to add just the right amount of sweetness.
There you have it! As you see, learning how to make shrimp bruschetta is simple. Anyone, even without a professional cooking background, can do make a shrimp bruschetta.
Remember that choosing the best and freshest ingredients always makes the difference in every dish. Keep in mind to always make the best effort to use only high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and garden-fresh tomatoes. These two ingredients are key to experience the authentic taste of bruschetta in the comfort of your kitchen.
Bruschetta Of Different Regions
There are so much more variations in bruschetta that you can find in each region. In Tuscany, they love to put different meats or sausages like prosciutto and chicken livers on their toppings. In Puglia, they prefer dried tomatoes over fresh vine-ripened ones on their bruschetta. On Calabria, they want more pepper and oregano as toppings. If you go to Sicily, they use small and sweet tomatoes instead of Roma tomatoes. Other regions use beans and pecorino, while others go for artichokes and Parmigiana Reggiano.
Conclusion
Knowing how to make shrimp bruschetta is as easy as a walk in the park. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow procedure, the taste of Italy is within your reach. Make your guests and your loved ones full of the mouthwatering goodness of shrimp bruschetta. Remember that fresh ingredients are the secret to making delicious and healthy food. Discover more shrimp recipes here!