Bruschetta with Garlic Shrimp Mozzarella and Pesto

Thick, crispy grilled sourdough bread topped with melted mozzarella, sauteed shrimp and fresh tomatoes with a dollop of pesto

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword shrimp bruschetta tomatoes pesto

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

6 thick slices sourdough bread cut ¾ inch thick
½ cup olive oil divided
5 tablespoons butter divided
4 tablespoons garlic finely chopped, divided
16 ounces raw medium shrimp peeled, deveined and well dried
Kosher salt and pepper
4 large ripe tomatoes cut into a medium dice
10 large basil leaves cut into a thin chiffonade
6 large slices mozzarella cheese or burrata
6 tablespoons basil pesto
Fresh basil thyme leaves or parsley finely chopped for garnish
6 lemon quarters for serving

Instructions

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons garlic, mix everything together and spread the mixture out evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Let the garlic cook over medium heat for about a minute or two but don’t let it brown. It should just be translucent.
Dip each slice of bread on both sides into the mixture until it is lightly coated and set the bread aside on a plate until ready to grill.
Turn up the heat to medium high, add another tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the skillet and when the butter is melted, add the shrimp. Saute the shrimp (with some salt and pepper) until they are cooked through (do not overcook them), about 2-3 minutes, stirring them the entire time. Remove and set aside. Do not turn off the heat or clean the skillet.
Add the remaining butter, olive oil and garlic to the skillet and saute the tomatoes and basil chiffonade for 2-3 minutes until everything is just warmed. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to the broil setting. Grill the bread in a grill pan or outside over high heat. Do not leave the bread unattended or it will quickly burn. When you have nice grill marks on one side of the bread, flip it over and grill the other side. On a sheet pan, place the mozzarella on top of the grilled bread slices and broil the bread for a minute or so until the cheese is just melted but not browned.
Assemble the bruschetta by spooning the shrimp on top of the bread, layer on the tomatoes and dollop the pesto all over the bruschetta. Garnish with the chopped basil, thyme or parsley (or a mixture of both) and serve each piece with some lemon on the side.