Salami & Pesto Recipe

Slice and preheat

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice the baguette on the diagonal into 8–10 slices, about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) thick.

Brush and season

Arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with 2 tbs of extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the cut sides evenly with 0.25 tsp sea salt and 0.125 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Toast

Toast in the preheated oven 6–10 minutes, turning once, until edges are golden and crisp. Remove from oven and while still warm, rub the top of each slice once with the 1 garlic clove (cut side) to impart a light garlic flavor.

Prepare pesto

If pesto is thick, stir 1 tbs lemon juice into 0.5 cups pesto to loosen slightly for easier spreading and brighter flavor.

Prepare tomatoes

Place 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 0.125 tsp freshly ground black pepper (from the Bread section seasoning if desired) and toss with 1 tbs lemon juice to macerate briefly (about 2 minutes).

Prep salami & mozzarella

Fold or roll 8 salami slices into attractive pieces for easy placement. Pat or slice 8 mozzarella slices so they are similar size to the bread slices.

Spread pesto

Spread about 1–1.5 tbs of the loosened pesto onto each toasted bread slice (use all 0.5 cups across the slices).

On each pesto-coated slice, place one slice of mozzarella, then one folded salami piece. Top with a few halved cherry tomatoes (from the macerated tomatoes) so each bruschetta gets an even mix of tomato and juices.

Finish each bruschetta with 1 basil leaf (or two small torn leaves), a very light drizzle of 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil distributed across all pieces, and a light pinch of 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes distributed evenly. Taste and add an extra small pinch of salt or pepper if needed.

Serve immediately while bread is still warm and crisp. If serving to a group, arrange on a platter and offer extra pesto and red pepper flakes on the side.