With entertaining season just around the corner, bruschetta is a great canapé to have up your sleeve. We’ve put together a trio of bruschetta recipes: the classic tomato with basil; hummus, avocado and marinated artichokes and Parma ham, pea and mint. Here are the first two recipes and for the pea and mint variety you’ll need to head this way.

Bruschetta with tomato and basil

Ingredients:

1 baguette or similar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
4 ripe large tomatoes, finely chopped or two handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup basil pesto
¼ cup fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the grill on medium-high. Cut the baguette diagonally into 1cm thick slices. Place the slices, in a single layer, on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil. Cook under the grill for 1-2 minutes on each side or until toasted. Rub 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved, over 1 side of each piece of toast.

2. Combine the tomatoes, onion and remaining garlic (finely sliced or minced) in a small bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

3. Place the bread on a serving platter. Either place the tomato topping and pesto in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves, or place a spoonful of topping on each slice of bread with a dollop of pesto and fresh basil to serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving so that the bread does not get soggy.

Bruschetta with hummus, avocado and marinated artichokes

Ingredients:

1 cup hummus
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
8 marinated artichokes, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 baguette or similar
1/4 cup olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat grill on medium-high. Cut the baguette diagonally into 1cm thick slices. Place the bread slices, in a single layer, on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil. Cook under grill for 1-2 minutes on each side or until toasted. Rub 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved, over one side of each piece of toast.

2. Place the bread on a serving platter. Generously spread each slice with hummus, top with avocado slices and artichokes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Both recipes are best enjoyed in good company.

To complete the trio, try out this Parma ham, pea and mint  bruschetta recipe.