Description
Fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic over fluffy cheese base made with crème fraîche, Greek yogurt and Parmesan – the ultimate crowd-pleasing dip.
Ingredients
Bruschetta Topping
- 4 tomatoes (on-the-vine), stems and seeds removed, chopped (≈ 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cheese Base
- 7½ ounces crème fraîche
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
For Serving
- Bread or crackers
Instructions
Chop your tomatoes into thumbnail-size pieces and mix with basil, garlic, vinegar, and oil. Salt and pepper too. Don’t go nuts mixing – you want chunks, not baby food. I do this first and let it sit while I mess with the cheese stuff.
Seeding Tomatoes: Cut them in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Yeah, it’s extra work, but those seeds just add water that makes everything runny. Some people use their finger but that’s gross.
Garlic: Mince it really fine because nobody wants to bite into a raw garlic chunk at a party. I use a microplane if I have time, otherwise just chop the hell out of it until it’s almost paste.
Salt: Start with less than you think. You can add more but you can’t take it back. Different tomatoes need different amounts of salt.
Dump the crème fraîche, yogurt, Parmesan, basil, and garlic in another bowl. Beat with the mixer until it looks like whipped cream – light and fluffy, not just mixed together.
Temperature: If your dairy stuff is cold from the fridge, it won’t whip right. Let it sit out for thirty minutes first. Cold ingredients just don’t work no matter how long you beat them.
Don’t Overdo It: Once it’s fluffy, stop. Keep going and you’ll make butter, which sounds good but looks weird as a dip base.
Spread the cheese stuff in your serving dish, spoon the tomato mix on top. Put out crackers and bread and let people go crazy.
Timing: Only put these together right before serving. The tomato juice makes the cheese base runny if it sits around. Nobody wants watery dip.
Pretty Factor: Use a spatula to spread the cheese base smooth, then a slotted spoon for tomatoes so you don’t dump liquid on top. Save some nice basil leaves for the top.
Notes
- Get rid of tomato seeds or it’ll be watery
- Cold cheese won’t whip – leave it out for thirty minutes
- Taste before serving – some tomatoes are bland and need more salt
- Shallow bowls work better than deep ones
- Save pretty basil leaves for garnish
Oil: Use decent olive oil since you taste it. The stuff that’s been in your cabinet for two years probably sucks.
Crackers: Put out different kinds – sturdy pita chips for people who load up, delicate water crackers for lighter eaters. Baguette slices always work.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Italian