Roasted Pepper Bruschetta with Cream Cheese

This roasted pepper bruschetta is the kind of appetizer that vanishes from the table in minutes. Smoky roasted peppers, briny olives, and sweet Yalta onion are folded into lemony cream cheese, then piled high on crispy ciabatta toasts with a snowfall of parmesan. Serve it alongside other easy starters like Crispy Battered Zucchini and Eggplant or Baked Crab and Cheese Patties for a no-fuss Italian-inspired spread.

Ingredients

• 1 ciabatta loaf, sliced and toasted
• 1 bell pepper
• 8–10 olives, sliced
• 1/2 Yalta (sweet red) onion, diced
• 150 g (5.3 oz) cream cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Dried or fresh basil
• 4–5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 30 g (1 oz) parmesan
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Roast the whole bell pepper in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for about 40 minutes, until the skin blisters and chars in spots. Let it cool slightly, then peel and chop the flesh.
2. In a bowl, stir the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper into the cream cheese until smooth and well seasoned.
3. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, Yalta onion, and roasted pepper, then fold them into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Crush the dried basil between your palms to release its aroma, stir it into the mixture, and combine everything well.
5. Spread the mixture generously over the crispy toasts, grate parmesan over the top, and enjoy! It also pairs beautifully with Pasta with Roasted Eggplant and Feta for a Mediterranean-style dinner.

Tips

• Toast the ciabatta slices until deeply golden — a sturdy crunch keeps the creamy topping from making them soggy.
• Short on time? A good-quality jarred roasted pepper works well in place of roasting your own. If you’re new to roasting peppers at home, the step-by-step guides at Serious Eats are a helpful reference.
• Make the cream cheese mixture up to a day ahead and keep it refrigerated; assemble the toasts just before serving so they stay crisp.

Nutrition

Per 100 g: 79 kcal, protein 6.7 g, fat 3.9 g, carbs 4.2 g. Bell peppers are rich in vitamin C — you can read more about vegetable nutrition at USDA.gov.