Ribs 101.3 - Class, REDNECK APPETIZERS today - BRUSCHETTA

Not a little bit good... I mean this is REALLY REALLY GOOD.

To make it taste it's best, it takes just a bit of effort... but it is soooo worth it.

First, a little foreign language lesson... In Italian, bruschetta is pronounced "brus'ketta". The noun "bruschetta" is from the verb in the Roman dialect "bruscare", meaning "to roast over coals".

And now a sociology lesson... Again, in Italy, bruschetta is thought of as a "poor man's" pizza. In it's simplest version, bruschetta is simply a thick slice of bread (even most poor Italians have access to bread), toasted with a little Olive Oil (again, even poor Italians keep Olive Oil in their pantry), rubbed with garlic (in Italy, garlic is like Chicken Man in the United States... "He's everywhere, he's everywhere... "Buck-buck-buck-buuuuuck"), and if the family is just a little poor, topped with some chopped tomato. In the United States, this simple "poor man's pizza" has become an expensive appetizer in fancy dancy restaurants. Snooty waiters will turn up their nose and correct your pronunciation while they add goat cheese, carmelized onions, prosciutto ham, anchovies and just about anything else you can imagine.

Well, armed with all the basic ingredients (bread, olive oil and garlic), today I will teach you how to make a redneck "poor man's pizza"...

I had some leftover marinara sauce from Boys Night IN - BBQ Fried/Baked MEATBALLS and a little Spaghetti. Feel free to add some store bought jar sauce, but whenever I go to the trouble of making a sauce, I will freeze small amounts for just such an occasion as this.

I had some leftover cherry tomatoes from Ribs 101.1 - Class, we are making QUESADILLAS from LEFTOVERS.

I like the snap of a sharp provolone cheese. But a bit of Cheddar or even Velveeta would work as well.

And finally, about a half a cup of "flap Meat" diced up RIBS! If you missed the first class in of Ribs 101 - Class, we are making SPARERIBS !!!, click the link and read about flap meat from spareribs.

Unfortunately, I do not have step by step photos, but in just a few easy steps, you will have a terrific lunch, appetizer or even light dinner... Here we go...

1. Thick slice the bread... maybe an inch thick.
2. generously drizzle olive oil on each side of the bread
3. toast in a heavy frying pan
4. rub on a clove of garlic on both sides
5. meanwhile, have ready HOT (microwave) marinara sauce and rib meat
6. add a layer of sauce to the top of the bread slice
7. add a layer of rib meat
8. top with some freshly grated provolone cheese
9. broil for 6 minutes, or till the cheese is melted
10. top with the tomatoes
11. listen to your family say .... OHHHHH AHHHHH

So class, in summing up, we have made a main course meal of SPARERIBS. But, because spareribs have not only the "main" rib section, but also a "flap meat" section, we have been able to make a snack (quesadillas), we have taken a classic side dish and stepped it up a bunch of notches (pork and beans) and today we learned to make an expensive restaurant quality appetizer (Bruschetta).

But students, we are not finished yet... stay tuned for SEVERAL more days as we continue the leftover class. I still have plenty of meat left.

Spareribs... doesn't have a song, doesn't have a press agent like Baby back ribs. But it sure does stretch your food dollars.

Class dismissed, see you tomorrow!