Fettunta from Flavor Bombs

Fettunta is grilled garlicked and oiled bread, the Italian version of the French tartine.

The type of bread you’ll want for your fettunta depends on the toppings. The toppings I have here, a bagna cauda and a raclette, are hearty, so I like to use bread that’s equally sturdy, like a rustic boule. Of course you can use sourdough in a pinch.

In addition to preparing these to order, you can make the fettunta for a party. Instead of assembling each slice of bread individually, prepare a big batch of each topping and set them out on the table, along with the grilled bread. Your guests can pick and choose and build their own fettunta.

Bagna Cauda Fettunta | Serves 4

Bagna cauda is usually translated as 'hot bath,' and it’s a classic dish from the Piedmont region of Italy where anchovies and garlic are bathed in warm olive oil until the flavors meld into a beautiful dip. My version turns it into a topping; with the anchovies and blistered cherry tomatoes, this is a very umami-intense fettunta.

1. Preheat a grill to high heat.

2. To make the sauce, slice 6 of the garlic cloves paper-thin.

3. Heat the oil and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until they’ve warmed and the butter foams. Add the garlic, anchovy fillets, and a crack of pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree.

4. Now, assemble the fettunta. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half. Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil. Toast the bread on the cool part of your grill or in a skillet set on your stove over medium heat, then rub the halved garlic clove on each side. Place the bread on a cutting board.

5. Spread as much of the bagna cauda on each slice of bread as you’d like, then top each with 2 tablespoons of the ricotta. Pile the blistered tomatoes on top. Serve.

6. If you have leftovers, the remaining bagna cauda can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. It also can be used as a dip for raw vegetables.

Blistered Tomatoes | Makes about ½ cup

Tomatoes naturally have a lot of glutamates and if you blister them to trigger the Maillard reaction, you’ll bring out even more of their natural umami. Using oil from the Garlic Confit is not mandatory, but if you have it, it adds a nice garlicky flavor to the tomatoes. I use cherry tomatoes in this recipe, but the method works using whole tomatoes, too.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Halve the tomatoes and place them in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then spoon in enough oil to coat the tomatoes generously. Arrange them in the skillet, cut side down, and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until their skins shrivel and char slightly and the tomatoes collapse slightly upon themselves.

3. Store the blistered tomatoes in a covered container in the fridge for up to a day.