Adrianna Montano/The Mirror
Studying abroad last Spring was one of the best experiences of my life.
I was in Barcelona for four invigorating months; learning, traveling, eating and experiencing one of the richest cultures in Europe.
Being the foodie that I am, I was very excited to experience and experiment with the Catalan cuisine. I loved being forced to fend for myself and shop at the Market of Sant Josep/ La Boqueria on Las Ramblas. The market was always packed, people getting their daily fresh ingredients or simply touring one of the most well known food markets in the world. Every street corner also had fresh bakeries where I would get baguettes and chocolate croissants.
My apartment was always stocked with both; we loved our carbs. I began to think of recipes to use up the bread before it went stale, and I thought of this flat bread. It was a hit, and became a constant family meal.
This was one of my favorites because it was quick and satisfying. The only thing that takes a little bit more time is if you feel like getting crazy and choosing to make homemade pesto, which honestly is quick and easy!
Directions:
First, preheat the oven to bake at 375°. For the bread, I like to use big slices of Italian bread so one slice could be enough for one person.
Toast the bread before you put anything on it so it will stay crisp. Then, the spread on in layers the pestos and cream cheese/ricotta. Start with the SDT pesto first, followed by the same amount of cream cheese/ricotta, then the last layer the basil pesto.
Next, top it with a good amount of the mozzarella and just a tiny sprinkle of the parmesan.
Right before you put it in the oven add a few leaves of spinach or slices of chorizo if you want to add some bite to it.
All it needs is about 5-7 minutes for the cheese to melt and the edges to get crunchy. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Sliced Italian bread (Toasted)
Sun-Dried Tomato (SDT) Pesto
Light Cream Cheese OR Ricotta
Basil Pesto
Fresh Mozzarella
Grated Parmesan
Fresh Spinach OR Chorizo
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