Hot Bruschetta Dip with Crispy Parm Ciabatta Crostini & Maremma Sangiovese

Tuscan cooking is all about simplicity and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. I wanted to honour that with this simple yet de-li-cious Hot Bruschetta Dip!! Perfectly sweet tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, all the olive oil, and cheeeeeeese. So good, so easy.

This dip was the appetizer for my husband's 40th birthday dinner, where I created an entire Tuscan-themed menu based on this wine: Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Valente - 100% Sangiovese from Tuscany’s Maremma region. Richer than Chianti Sangiovese, but still elegant and crisp! I’m sharing more on this wine with the full menu next week, so stay tuned for that!

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Serves: 2-4
Time: 15-20 minutes

• Cutting board & knife

• 6- to 8-inch cast-iron skillet (with lid or tin foil to cover)

• Baking sheet

Crispy Parm Ciabatta Crostini:

• Ciabatta, 0.5 to 1 inch slices

• Olive oil

• Fresh-grated Parm

• Fresh basil, finely chopped

• Fresh oregano, finely chopped

• Salt & pepper

Hot Bruschetta Dip

• 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for finishing

• 2 cups of tomatoes, diced (I used a combination of Cherry and Heirloom)

• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

• ½ to ¾ cup fresh-grated Parm

• Kosher salt

• 1 ball (8oz or 227g) fresh mozzarella

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of each ciabatta slice with olive oil, then place them on a baking sheet. Top with fresh-grated Parm, basil, oregano, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. *Get the dip started before putting them in the oven.

• Heat a 6- to 8-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil (about 1 to 2 tablespoons), followed by tomatoes, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until cooked through and jammy.

• Once tomatoes are cooking, put the prepared crostini in the oven and bake at 400°F for 5 to 10 minutes (5 will be less crispy, 10 will be more cracker-like).

• Once tomatoes and garlic are nice and jammy, add basil, oregano, Parm, and another glug of olive oil. Stir to combine, then season with salt. Reduce heat to low, top with thinly sliced (or grated) fresh mozzarella, and cover to melt.

• Once cheese is melted, garnish with more fresh herbs and flaky salt. Serve immediately with your ciabatta crostini, and enjoy!

That’s it!!
Give this one a try and let me know what you think!
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!