You say “to-mae-to”; I say “to-ma-to”. You eat “bru-she-tta”; I eat “brus-ke-tta”. I am sure you’ve heard the disagreement about the pronunciation of this ubiquitous Italian dish.

Bruschetta is a dish consisted of toasted bread topped with a variety of vegetables, cheeses and meats. The most popular topping for bruschetta in America is a mix of chopped tomato, basil and sometimes fresh mozzarella. Other toppings include smoked meats with cheese and olives with roasted sweet peppers.

This mushroom bruschetta is extremely meaty for a vegetarian dish. The mushrooms get sweet and smokey when sauteed in the pan. The lemon zest, rosemary and parsley add some fresh flavors that brighten up the dish. The parmesan cheese and splash of cream at the end binds everything together in a luxurious sauce.

I used a mix of pretty exotic mushrooms I found at my farmer’s market. If you can’t find these particular mushrooms, feel free to substitute what you can get your hands on. A blend of crimini, white and portobello mushrooms will work just fine. Make sure you don’t wash the mushrooms under water, which will make them soggy and rubbery. A good wipe with a damp towel will do the job.

This dish can be served as an appetizer for a party. You can prepare the mushroom mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge for until you are ready to assemble everything. You can also have bruschetta as a light lunch with some salad. I am sure you will love this dish–no matter how you pronounce its name.

Mushroom Bruschetta

Adapted (very loosely) from Bon Appetit, June 2004

• Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
• Onion, chopped, 1/3 cup (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
• Oyster mushrooms, chopped, 2 1/4 cups (about 4 ounces)
• Crimini mushrooms, chopped, 2 1/4 cups (about 4 ounces)
• Bunashimeji mushrooms (aka beech mushrooms), chopped, 2 1/4 cups, about (3 ounces)
• Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
• Whipping cream, 1/4 cup
• Fresh rosemary, minced, 1 tablespoon
• Lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon
• Parmesan cheese, grated, 1/2 cup
• Chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons, optional for garnish
• Baguette, 36 1/3-inch-thick slices

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 1 minute. Add all mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. stir in cream, rosemary and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool for 15 minutes and mix in the cheese.

Heat up grill pan or broiler. Brush baguette slices with some olive oil. Grill the bread or set it under the broiler until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Top the baguette slices with the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with parsley if using. Makes 36 bruschetta.