Grilled Bruschetta with Eggplant Topping
By Mark HuxsollPublished on April 30, 2024
Time
25 minutes
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
BREAD
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 6 (¾-inch-thick) slices rustic sourdough bread 1 garlic clove, peeledEGGPLANT TOPPING
1½ pounds eggplant, sliced into ½-inch-thick planks1 teaspoon table salt ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon pepperBefore You Begin
We prefer to use sourdough bread here for its inherent moisture and chew, but you can use other styles of rustic bread, if desired.
Instructions
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter half filled with charcoal briquettes (3 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to medium-high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate.
- Whisk oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in small bowl. Brush bread slices evenly on both sides with oil-vinegar mixture (use entire mixture). Place bread on grill and cook, uncovered, until bread is spottily charred and crisp on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping slices about every 1 minute. Transfer grilled bread to cutting board. Lightly rub 1 side of each bread slice with garlic.
- Sprinkle eggplant slices on both sides with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Brush eggplant all over with 2 tablespoons oil. Place eggplant on grill and cook (covered if using gas) until spottily charred and tender, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer eggplant to cutting board and chop into ¼-inch pieces. Transfer eggplant to bowl and toss with parsley, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
- Top grilled bread slices with eggplant mixture and drizzle with extra oil. Serve slices whole, halved, or cut into strips.
for the bread
for the eggplant topping
Time
25 minutesYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
BREAD
EGGPLANT TOPPING
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
BREAD
EGGPLANT TOPPING
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
BREAD
EGGPLANT TOPPING
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For this recipe, we set out to upgrade assembled toasts. To do this, we used a grill as our cooking apparatus and treated the bread as the star. Knowing we would be topping the bread, we wanted to avoid bread with an open crumb structure and holes, so we chose a rustic sourdough loaf for its even crumb structure. We sliced the bread ¾ inch thick and brushed it with a vinaigrette rather than just olive oil to boost savory flavor and brightness. Though the grilled bread is so good that we think it's worth heating the grill just to make it, we also grilled eggplant for the topping. We chopped the grilled eggplant and combined it with olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and minced garlic before spooning it onto the bread. The end result? A delicious appetizer or snack perfect for summer cookouts.
Before You Begin
We prefer to use sourdough bread here for its inherent moisture and chew, but you can use other styles of rustic bread, if desired.
Instructions
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter half filled with charcoal briquettes (3 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to medium-high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate.
- Whisk oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in small bowl. Brush bread slices evenly on both sides with oil-vinegar mixture (use entire mixture). Place bread on grill and cook, uncovered, until bread is spottily charred and crisp on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping slices about every 1 minute. Transfer grilled bread to cutting board. Lightly rub 1 side of each bread slice with garlic.
- Sprinkle eggplant slices on both sides with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Brush eggplant all over with 2 tablespoons oil. Place eggplant on grill and cook (covered if using gas) until spottily charred and tender, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer eggplant to cutting board and chop into ¼-inch pieces. Transfer eggplant to bowl and toss with parsley, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
- Top grilled bread slices with eggplant mixture and drizzle with extra oil. Serve slices whole, halved, or cut into strips.
for the bread
for the eggplant topping
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