Perfect for Snacking!

Today’s recipe for Roast Tomato & Grana Padano Bruschetta with Capers is perfect for eating outside on hot summer days as well as cosy nights in front of the fire; sweet cherry tomatoes are roasted with sea salt, capers and Grana Padano cheese before being piled onto lightly toasted bread with olive oil and garlic, and the combination of flavours and textures is simply sensational.

This is my second recipe in a series of bespoke recipes I am creating with Grana Padano, and although we enjoyed this dish with seasonal salad one hot summer’s evening, I imagine this would also be a fabulous supper dish in the midst of winter, with the tomatoes bringing memories of summer to the table – a sort of “posh Italian cheese on toast”! Furthermore, the recipe is so simple and easy to make.

In my last recipe for Rustic Tuscan Bean Casserole with Grana Padano Cheese Croutons, I used Grana Padano “Riserva”, which is aged for 20 months, and has a robust, nutty and complex taste which suited the Italian style bean casserole – in today’s recipe, I have used the Grana Padano 16 month aged cheese, and it’s slightly sweeter flavour seems to be more in keeping with the fruity cherry tomatoes and piquant capers.

As I mentioned in my last recipe post, the cheese has a fascinating history; created by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle in the 12th century, it is still made throughout the Po River Valley in North-Eastern Italy, and is a cheese with a very special pedigree and history, which is just as popular today as it was hundreds of years ago.

Grana Padano is one of my favourite cheeses, and I always have a block or two in my fridge for baking, cooking AND for seasonal cheese boards, when I serve it with fresh fruit (figs are a favourite), nuts, chutney and relishes. The cheese is PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) which means you can always be assured of its quality and provenance, as it has to be made in the area that has been designated for the cheese making.

My second Grana Padano recipe creation for Roast Tomato & Grana Padano Bruschetta with Capers is shared below and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.……you can vary the bread, of course, and also why not add chopped olives and herbs if you wish, it’s a great recipe and the Grana Padano cheese adds an exquisite salty, grainy and slightly sweet taste to the recipe. Please remember to pop back for my third and last Grana Padano recipe, which will be published in a few weeks time, Karen

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Disclaimer: Collaborative post with Grana Padano

Roast Tomato & Grana Padano Bruschetta with Capers

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Serves	4 to 6
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc	Serve Hot
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party
Region	Italian
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

Roast Tomato & Grana Padano Bruschetta with Capers - An elegant rustic Bruschetta recipe using sweet cherry tomatoes, Grana Padano cheese & piquant capers.

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 thick slices of Ciabatta or other crusty bread
• 250g cherry tomatoes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil + 1 tablespoon extra
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 75g Grana Padano 16 month aged cheese, thinly sliced or shaved

Note

Roast Tomato & Grana Padano Bruschetta with Capers - An elegant rustic Bruschetta recipe using sweet cherry tomatoes, Grana Padano cheese & piquant capers.

Directions

Step 1	Pre-heat oven to 200C/400 F/Gas mark 6.
Step 2	Mix the cherry tomatoes, 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and capers together, mix well and tip the into an oven proof dish. Roast them in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Add the sea salt to taste.
Step 3	Whilst the tomatoes are roasting, toast the bread on both sides; drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over the bread.
Step 4	To serve: Spoon the roast tomatoes and capers over the toasted bread, and then scatter the sliced or shaved Grana Padano cheese over the top and serve immediately with salad.