Grilled Vegetable Bruschetta
By: Melissa Peterman
Published: Friday, December 10, 2010 - 1:02am

Ingredients




3/4 pound eggplant (1 small)
1 large yellow summer squash (½ pound)
1 large meaty tomato (½ pound)
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 slices country-style bread ¾-inch thick
1 cup  mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1 Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut the squash into long diagonal 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut the tomato into crosswise 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut the pepper into quarters. In a measuring cup, combine the Italian dressing, basil, and pepper flakes. Brush all sides of the vegetables with the marinade. 2 Grill the vegetables over medium coals, turning once until softened, 10 to 12 minutes for eggplant, 5 to 7 minutes for zucchini and bell pepper, and 1 to 2 minutes for tomato. Grill one side of bread or top side of bread shells until lightly toasted, about 1 minute.  3 Remove bread and vegetables from grill. Turn bread, toasted side up and divide grilled vegetables over the bread to make open-faced sandwiches. Sprinkle with cheese. Use a spatula to transfer bruschetta and return to grill. Cover and grill until cheese melts and underside of bread is toasted, about 1 minute.

About


An Italian classic: crusty bread slices are grilled, then brushed with a flavored oil and topped with a variety of savory items-usually vegetables and herbs. Italian Dressing makes this lovely dish extra easy, and the open-face sandwiches make a terrific vegetarian main course or a wonderful appetizer for Labor Day. If you don 't have a covered grill, finish the bruschettas under a broiler to melt cheese. Serve with a hearty salad or with soup