Anchovy Butter Bruschetta
Anyone who has visited Ann Arbor, Michigan, has had to have heard of Zingerman’s. The Zingerman’s empire consists of the downtown deli, the Roadhouse, a creamery, bakeshop, coffee shop, and much more. Ari Weinzweig is at the head of the helm, partnering with several folks to provide the very best products possible.
One of my favorite Zingerman’s places to visit is the deli store where all the Zingerman’s products are sold, and where a myriad of international ingredients discovered by Ari are also sold. Every year Ari does the “Best Of,” where he shares his favorite products of the year. I love attending this event as I always discover some new to me products to fall in love with.
This year, one of the items Ari shared was his new favorite snack that he discovered in Piemonte, Italy. It is a half slice of bread topped with cultured butter and the very best anchovies. Although it sounds too simple to be memorable, when you use the very best ingredients, it truly is. Ari suggested the Ortiz brand of anchovies, the top of their line to be specific, but the Ortiz brand sold in jars would work just fine and are much easier to find. (Link below in recipe)
I’m not even too fond of anchovies, and I love this tasty snack. I made this treat twice over the holidays for family, and it got rave reviews, although I was too busy at the time to photograph it to post the recipe on my blog. This past week, I made it once more as an appetizer on pizza night, so I could finally take some pictures to share the recipe on the blog.
One of the other essential ingredients is cultured butter. Cultured butter is made by adding live bacteria (cultures) to the butter before it’s churned, versus regular butter which is cream that goes straight to the churning machine. The addition of the cultures causes the butter to taste slightly tangier, due to additional lactic acid.
Feel free to slather the butter on the bread liberally as it pairs well with the anchovies. The type of bread you use should be a crusty type, and a multi-grain variety is especially delicious. The only addition to this tasty treat I made was to top the slices with cracked black pepper and some fresh thyme leaves. Served on an appetizer table, or enjoyed as an afternoon snack, these tasty, easy treats will soon become a family favorite!
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Anchovy Butter Bruschetta
An easy snack or appetizer from the Piemonte region of Italy.
Ingredients
- 4 Slices of Multigrain Crusty Bread, Sliced in Half Lengthwise
- 1/2 Cup Cultured Butter (See Notes Above)
- 8 Top Quality Anchovies (I Used Ortiz Brand)
- 1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
Instructions
- Slather the butter onto one side of each bread slices, then top with an anchovy.
- Sprinkle the bread slices with the pepper and thyme and serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 514mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
Zingerman’s is amazing! Â It is worth the hour drive from Rochester Hills. Â I love the ability to taste the myriad olive oils they stock, before making my selection. Â Also, their Pecan Blondies are the stuff of dreams!