Appetizer ideas ready in minutes

Bruschetta, dips and shrimp are great appetizers that add a lot of taste to home entertaining. So, here are a few quick and great tasting recipes that you can prepare in advance, to keep you with your guests longer.

Bruschetta comes from the Italian word ‘buscare’, which means to ‘roast over coals.’ But you can keep it simple. Use your oven. Bruschetta is often topped with chopped tomatoes and basil and is equally tasty topped with any versatile Tre Stelle cheese. 

Bruschetta 101

Place 12 slices (1 cm thick) of French baguette on a baking sheet. Toast both sides under a broiler.

Rub each slice of toasted bread with a garlic clove
Sparingly sprinkle each slice with olive oil

Try these variations, or experiment on your own

Blue Cheese Bruschetta

Spoon chopped, fresh tomato and basil on bread slices, top with crumbled Tre Stelle Blue cheese and capers, if desired.

Broccoli Rabe (rapini) Bruschetta

Generously sprinkle bread slices with Tre Stelle grated Romano cheese, top with steamed broccoli rabe and hot pepper flakes to taste.

Greek Bruschetta

Spoon chopped, fresh tomato and oregano on bread slices, top with crumbled Tre Stelle Feta cheese and chopped Greek olives, if desired.

Dip It! Making ordinary dips extraordinary

Here’s two ways to make ordinary dip extraordinary, with Tre Stelle cheese.
1. Substitute or add crumbled Feta and grated Parmesan to your standby spinach dip recipe.
2. Whirl Ricotta, Parmesan, canned, drained artichokes and your favourite spices in a food processor for a quick, creamy dip.

Stuffed Shrimp à la Tre Stelle

10 extra large uncooked shrimp (approximately 1 pound)
1 cup Tre Stelle Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
2/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
6 drops louisianna hot sauce
1/4 cup Tre Stelle Olive Oil

Clean shrimp by removing shell leaving tail intact. Butterfly shrimp by slitting undersides open from tail to thick end, being careful not to cut through. Flatten ends and place shrimp cut sides up on flat baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon stuffing evenly onto shrimp. Broil until shrimp are firm and opaque and are browned evenly.

Makes 10 servings as an appetizer.