Pattypans bruschetta a veggie delight - Photo by Marilyn Magee

Pattypans are a funny looking little squash, resembling a flying saucer, but they taste great.

This recipe comes from my kitchen with a twist from a recipe from allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

* 6 garden tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
* 3 cloves minced garlic
* 1/4 cup extra virgin organic olive oil
* 2 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar
* 1 handful of fresh basil, stems removed, pulsed in food processor several times (Save a few leaves for presentation)
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 4 pattypans (yellow for presentation)
* 1/4 C. pine nuts

Mix all ingredients (leave 1 tsp. of basil in the food processor) in a large bowl except pattypans and pine nuts.  Turn oven on broil.  While oven warms, wash and slice pattypans about the width of a slice of bread (remove stem end and blossom end).  You should get at least four slices per patty pan.  Brush them with olive oil and place in broiler until they just start to toast (maybe five minutes or so).  Turn them over and sprinkle with garlic powder.  Just as they start to toast, top them with the tomato bruschetta mixture.  Put back under the broiler just until the tomatoes begin to toast.  While they are in the oven, put the pine nuts in the food processor and mix with remaining basil.  Put the pattypans on the plate and top with a teaspoonful of pine nuts and decorate with a fresh basil leaf.

Voila!  A veggie delight.  This recipe is especially great if you have celiac or digestive problems, yet love bruschetta.  The bread of course is missing, but I think you will find this recipe delightful anyway - besides less calories.  If you are so inclined you can also top with regiano parmesiana, unless of course you don't eat dairy.

For the original recipe go to:  allrecipes.com/Recipe/Double-Tomato-Bruschetta/Detail.aspx