1 April 2012

Dreaming of Italy Caprese Toast for Slow Sundays



Caprese Toast
Good morning/afternoon ladies and gents..what a bunch of sleepy heads we are. Welcome  back to a new addition to our Slow Sundays feature here at More Than Burnt Toast. This has been a gloriously lazy weekend of staying up late and sleeping in, just as it should be. A Sunday should be slow, no rushing around, no big errands, just taking our time and mozying along. We have Meatless Mondays, Wordless Wednesdays so today we are back on track with our S-l-o-w Sunday feature. I took a little detour where my Sundays were spent developing peanut butter recipes but that is a story for another day.  My idea of enjoying a Sunday morning is to have a warm cup of tea and a long and lovingly prepared breakfast but often, especially when the weather turns warm, they are quite often all about being quick and no fuss as we head out the door on yet another adventure.

Since we had an unusually late start today breakfast is more of a brunch dish with a recipe from Chatelaine magazine. Not only am I dreaming of Italy but I am dreaming of summer with a balance of basil and sun-ripened tomatoes. Thank goodness for greenhouses here in the Great White North to keep summer alive all year round.


It seems that a delicious Bellini or Mimosa would be the perfect accompaniment rather than the usual "joe" so pull up a chair at our virtual table grab a napkin, crank up the Italian music, those travel magazines and let's start dreaming all over again.
“I was thrust into a fantasy land filled with ancient ruins, untouched earth, stunning scenery that the eyes cannot believe. The wonderful balance of posh and humble settings, and the hospitality by the strangers and warm society of the entire region made me [feel] like I belonged. Like I was at home. The time of my life.” —Matthew Brown
**Caprese Toast**
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • pinches of salt and pepper
  • 1 thick focaccia loaf
  • 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
  • 6 large balls bocconcini
  • 5 plum tomatoes
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Place basil, garlic, oil, salt and pepper in a blender. Whirl to a saucy consistency. Add more oil to make it more saucy, if needed. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Cut bread in half horizontally, then cut each half into quarters. Place cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread half of basil mixture over bread, then evenly sprinkle with mozzarella. Thickly slice bocconcini and tomatoes into rounds, then arrange in overlapping slices on top of bread. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper.

Bake in centre of preheated oven until cheese starts to melt, 7 to 10 minutes, then turn broiler to high. Broil until cheese begins to turn golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining basil mixture. Cut each piece in half diagonally. Best served warm.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.
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19 comments:

  1. Delicious! Perfect when one wants to relax.
    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. Yum! I keep coming back to the classic caprese flavors, you can't beat them. I love the idea of incorporating them into breakfast...have a relaxed day!

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  3. I'd be willing to sleep late for that breakfast!! Basil is still in short supply around here and, when found, is very expensive. I'll be bookmarking this for another sleepy Sunday breakfast.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  4. delicious for breakfast looks wonderful

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  5. Sometimes it really is about the simple things in life...and what more could you want than a piece of caprese-covered toast!

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  6. I'll be dreaming right along with you. Oh how I'd love to be back in Italy. What a brilliant idea to make a caprese on toast. This sounds wonderful. I have a round grilled cheese maker from the 50s that I confiscated from my moms that would make a yummy caprese sandwich. I never thought of using it this way. Thanks for the inspiration and the pounds I'm going to put on now!

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  7. What a perfect way to start a slow Sunday Val. I can't get enough of basil flavors and certainly don't want them to be for summer only.
    Sam

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  8. Basil, Tomatoe, Cheese and bread...how can one go wrong....

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  9. This is almost like a legitimate way to have pizza for breakfast! :-) This does indeed make me think of both Italy and summertime.

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  10. Now that's my idea of a perfect brunch! I've done it with gruyere...double yum...but next time will try mozzarella!

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  11. Dear Bellini, What a beautiful brunch. I love it. Blessings my dear, Catherine xo

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  12. A perfect treat for a lazy Sunday brunch. It sounds delicious and you've succeeded in making me hungry. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  13. Amazing dish...beautiful addition to a brunch. I have to give these toasts a try!

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  14. This caprese toast screams fresh! I dream of Italy often, it's good, these dreams keep us alive.

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  15. A lazy Sunday spent dreaming of Italy sounds fantastic! And, the melted cheese looks delicious.

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  16. That looks wonderful! I love all of the caprese flavors and that melting cheese - oh my!

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  17. ah Val I really love this look yum!!

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  18. Like minds think alike. I was just thinking today of making a bruscetta with a caprese idea. This looks delicious and everything I love about Italian food. Comfort, flavor, bread.

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  19. This does look heavenly indeed, Val!

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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