Bruschetta with Anchovies, Capers and Cottage Cheese

This bruschetta with anchovies, capers and cottage cheese is a bright, creamy and zesty appetizer with bold flavors. The combination of creamy cottage cheese, salty anchovies, tangy capers and sweet caramelized onions works perfeclty. Crispy grilled bread holds all the toppings making each bite a scrumptious mix of textures and flavors.

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What is bruschetta?

Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer made of grilled or toasted bread topped with a variety of ingredients. Traditionally, the bread is brushed with olive oil, rubbed with garlic and topped with tomatoes, onions and various Italian herbs. This is the most well-known, classic presentation.

But the possibilities are endless! Toppings can include cured meats or fish, grilled vegetables, fruits, and a variety of cheeses.

Have you tried my strawberry bruschetta or fig and gorgonzola bruschetta?

Which ingredients to use

• Bread: Use a sturdy, crusty type of bread, like French baguette, ciabatta, rustic farmers’ or sourdough loaf. These have a hearty crust and soft interior, perfect for grilling and to hold toppings without getting soggy.
• Cottage cheese: This low-fat, high-protein cheese adds a mild tang and creamy texture. Substitute with cream cheese, Boursin or soft goat cheese for a similar richness though with a slightly different flavor.
• Anchovy fillets: Use jarred or canned oil-packet anchovy fillets as these add a bold, salty taste.
• Capers: Capers jarred in a salty brine, adding a nice tangy, salty punch.
• Red onion: Both red onions or shallots work well with this bruschetta recipe adding sweetness when caramelized.
• Olive oil: Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for brushing the bread and caramelizing the onions.
• Seasoning (optional): A pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper can add some extra flavor, though the anchovies and capers already provide plenty of saltiness. So it’s optional.

How to make anchovy bruschetta with capers

Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Caramelize the onion

• Cut the onion: Peel and thinly slice the onion into half moons.
• Caramelize the onion: Heat olive oil in a skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they are soft and caramelized. Keep the heat medium/low to prevent the onions from burning. Don’t stir too much, let them get brown. Leave to cook about 15 minutes or longer if needed.

Grill the bread

While the onions are caramelizing, you can start grilling the bread.

• Prepare the bread: Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/2 inches (or 1.5 cm) thick slices and brush each side with olive oil. Don’t add too much oil, just a small drizzle is enough to crisp up the baguette.
• Grill in the oven: Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet or parchment paper and put them in a preheated oven at 400°F or 200°C. Grill each side for 4 minutes. Put aside to cool down.
• Grill in the pan: If you opt to grill the bread in the pan, preferably use a grill pan. No need to add extra oil. Heat the grill pan to medium heat and grill each side for 2 minutes until golden brown. Put the bread aside to cool down after grilling.

Assemble the bruschetta with anchovies and capers

Spread the cottage cheese generously over each grilled slice of bread. Top with the caramelized onions, an anchovy and a few capers.

Capers & anchovy bruschetta tips

• Cut the baguette diagonally: When slicing the bread diagonal, you’ll get longer slices, making it easier to assemble the bruschetta.
• Brush lightly with oil: Brush each side of the baguette lightly with oil, just enough to crisp the bread without making it greasy.
• Don’t over grill the bread: Grill just until the outside is crusty enough to hold the toppings. Over grilling can make the bread too hard and tough to bite.
• Whip the cottage cheese: Whipping the cottage cheese makes it creamier and lighter to spread on the bread. Add the cottage cheese in a blender or bowl and mix (or whip) for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
• Rinse capers if desired: If you prefer a milder taste, quickly rinse the brine off the jarred capers.
• Add balsamic vinegar (optional): Add a dash of balsamic vinegar while caramelizing the onions for extra sweetness and depth of flavor.

Can you make this bruschetta in advance?

While you can perfectly prepare all the components in advance, I would recommend to only assemble just before serving. So grill the bread, caramelize the onions and if needed whip the cottage cheese. This way, most of the work is done ahead of time.

Assemble the bruschetta with anchovies, capers and cottage cheese maximum 30 minutes before serving.

also try my other Italian appetizers

• Prosciutto pesto puff pastry pinwheels
• Prosciutto cups with figs and feta cheese
• Marinated mozzarella balls
• Tuna stuffed mini peppers

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment with rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #thetastychilli and tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.