So, one kind of bruschetta isn't enough for you? My excellent Tomato Basil Bruschetta alone just isn't good enough for you?
Fear not, friends. I'm back today with a second variety of bruschetta you can add to your serving tray, one that was teased in the photo posted in the previous entry.
See?
So! The second variety is actually called Rocket & Stracchino Bruschetta, with "rocket" being the word for arugula throughout Europe and "stracchino" being the type of Italian cheese we used.
Stracchino, as explained in my blog entry on my separate study abroad blog about the cooking class where this recipe comes from, is a mild white creamy cheese similar to cream cheese. Head Chef Andrea of Cooking Classes in Rome, however, recommends that if you can't find stracchino (which I find highly unlikely to be available in the States) you use goat cheese.
THEREBY...
Arugula & Goat Cheese Bruschetta
serves 4
What You Need
8 slices thick white Italian bread, or anything that can support the weight of being bruschetta
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half lengthways
~3-4 T good quality cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh arugula (I think you can probably get away with one of the pre-washed bags from the supermarket--you just need enough to do a small heaping on each toast)
a few drops of lemon juice, to taste
salt & pepper
Small log of plain goat cheese, enough to get 8 small rounds out of it, one for each toast
What You Do
1. Grill the slices of bread on your stovetop (or in your oven, or in your toaster) until lightly golden brown and possibly charred in a few spots. You want it to get nice and crispy and dry.
2. Rub one side of each slice of bread with half a clove of raw garlic, just lightly. Then drizzle each slice of bread with a tiny bit of olive oil. Discard the garlic.
3. Finely chop the arugula leaves and dress them lightly with olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. When you're ready to serve, simply pile a bit of the arugula salad on each toast and top with a round of goat cheese (or dollop of stracchino if you were so lucky to get it.) Done!