Nothing screams summer quite like delicious Italian antipasto, and bruschetta must be one of my absolute favourites. Thick slices of toasted ciabatta bread, the most high-quality sweet tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and lots of garlic makes the perfect classic bruschetta and is without a doubt an ultimate all-time favourite, though this recipe for a spicy variation with dried chilli flakes and red bell pepper makes an incredible alternative for that classic tomato version.

Tomato and red bell pepper has long been a favourite combination in my kitchen. Recently I shared with you my recipe for red pepper and tomato soup and as I write this blog post, I just enjoyed a simple salad with tomatoes and peppers for lunch. The great thing about the tomato and bell pepper is that they are delicious both raw and cooked, make fantastic ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner and are used in a wide variety of cuisines, therefore are so incredibly versatile and you can experiment endlessly.

While these bruschettas probably don’t look wildly different from the more classic version in the photo above, the addition of red bell pepper and chilli flakes takes them to a completely different level and I can guarantee they are very strong competition to original tomato bruschetta. Just be mindful that the strength of dried chilli flakes can vary significantly between brands, so while you can use the below quantity as a guide, definitely add to taste!

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Spicy Tomato and Red Pepper Bruschetta Recipe


  • Author: Michiel Steur
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 15 1x

Description

This spicy twist on a classic tomato bruschetta, with red bell pepper and dried chilli flakes, is the ultimate summer antipasto recipe!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 15 thick ciabatta slices
  • 400gr good quality tomatoes
  • 2 small red bell peppers
  • 8 leaves of fresh basil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/41/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra to toast bread)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Dice the red bell peppers into small 1/2cm chunks. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan, and fry the bell peppers until it has softened and developed some colour. Remove from the frying pan and leave to cool completely.
  2. Meanwhile, chop tomatoes in small bite-size chunks. If your tomatoes are particularly watery, you can drain them in a colander. Chop fresh basil roughly. Mince the garlic cloves. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl with 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.
  3. Once the peppers have cooled, transfer to the mixing bowl and add salt, pepper and dried chilli flakes to taste. Stir well to combine, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge while you move onto the next steps. Ideally, you leave the mixture to cool in the fridge for a few hours, allowing the flavours to mingle and fuse together.
  4. Heat a grill pan. Brush the ciabatta slices with extra-virgin olive oil, then toast both sides in the hot grill pan for a couple of minutes.
  5. Divide the topping between the toasted ciabatta slices. Serve immediately.

Notes

Be mindful that the strength of dried chilli flakes can vary significantly between brands, so while you can use the below quantity as a guide, definitely add to taste!

  • Category: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: spicy tomato bruschetta, tomato and red pepper bruschetta, alternative bruschetta recipe, easy bruschetta recipe

Spicy tomato and red pepper bruschetta with basil recipe

 

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