Bruschetta with Tomatoes, Pancetta and Confit Chilli

Alphabet H Head Chef at River Cottage, Gill Meller, has devised this delicious recipe to support The Seeds of Change 'Dig your dinner' campaign, encouraging people to grow their own organic food
Tomato bruschettaTomato bruschetta

10 minutes preparation, 30 minutes cooking

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 slices of bread - preferably sourdough
  • 200g pancetta or streaky bacon cut into lardons
  • 4 - 6 ripe tomatoes
  • 6 fresh, fleshy chillies
  • 250ml olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Small handful of flat leaf parsley

Method

  • Slice the chillies open from tip to tail, remove the seeds with a spoon and discard, slice the chilli into strips. Place in a small sauce pan cover with olive oil and throw in a few of the thyme leaves. Bring the pan up to the most gentle of simmers and cook the chillies until soft, this should take about 25mins. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
  • Pre-heat the grill. Drizzle a little of the chilli confit oil over the bread slices and toast for a couple of minutes on each side. When toasted rub them over with the chilli confit and clove of garlic.
  • Rinse the tomatoes under the cold tap. Slice them thickly.
  • Fry the pancetta for 4- 5 mins in a large frying pan. As it’s starting to colour remove from the heat, gently add the sliced tomatoes, the remaining thyme leaves, toss together and season to taste.
  • Pile the tomatoes onto the bruschetta. Scatter over the confit chilli, and parsley leaves. Serve at once.

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