Made with fresh vegetables, this flavorful vegetarian bruschetta recipe is a healthy and fun way to cook as a family. It's part of O's roundup of celebrity chef food resolutions.
Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients
For basic bruschetta:
  • 6 1-inch-thick slices crusty Italian bread
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil , for drizzling
  • 3 cloves garlic , peeled and sliced in half
  • Coarse sea salt , to taste
For tomato:
  • 1 to 2 ripe plum tomatoes , cut in half
For spicy chickpeas:
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 large red onion , halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp. hot pepper flakes , or to taste
  • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas , rinsed and drained
For eggplant and mozzarella:
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 medium red onion , thinly sliced
  • 2 small Japanese eggplants , cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup diced fresh mozzarella
  • 8 basil leaves , thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Basic and tomato: 5 minutes
Eggplant and mozzarella: 15 minutes
Spicy chickpeas: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes


To make any bruschetta: Once toppings are prepared, grill or toast bread, turning once, until marked with grill marks or deep golden brown but still soft in the center.

Rub a garlic clove over toasted bread. Use one of the toppings below, or another favorite.

To make tomato: Rub a plum tomato half on toast, squeezing out a little pulp and seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

To make spicy chickpeas: In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Spoon over prepared toast. Drizzle with olive oil and salt if desired.

To make eggplant and mozzarella: In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil until it just starts to smoke. Add onion and cook until soft, 9 to 10 minutes. Add eggplant and cook, stirring regularly, until eggplant has darkened and is soft. Add red wine vinegar and remove from heat; cool. Add mozzarella, basil, salt, and pepper. Spoon over prepared toast and serve.

Adapted from the Mario Batali Cooks! iPhone and iPad app.

Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1 bruschetta
Tomato: 130 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat
Spicy chickpeas: 385 calories, 10 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat. Plus 112 percent folate
Eggplant and mozzarella: 244 calories, 12 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat

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