Roast Wings, Bruschetta and Salsa Appetizer or Starter

Roast wings served with simple bruschetta and salsa as an appetizer

Do you ever serve chicken wings as an appetizer or starter? If you do - or are thinking of doing so - and you are looking for some new ideas, you may wish to give this simple but delicious option a go.

Ingredients per Person

3 whole chicken wings, tips removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 medium tomato, seeded and moderately finely diced
2 inch piece of cucumber, seeded and moderately finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, 1 peeled and grated for salsa, 1 peeled and lightly crushed for bruschetta
2 basil leaves, finely shredded, plus extra to garnish
Black pepper
1 bread roll

Seeded tomato and cucumber

Directions

Start your oven preheating to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 while you prepare your salsa.

The easiest way to seed the tomato and cucumber is to cut them in half as shown above and scoop/scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon.

Diced tomato and cucumber

When you have diced the tomato and cucumber, add to a small glass or stone bowl. Grate in the garlic clove, spoon in about a tablespoon of olive oil, season with the basil, salt and pepper and stir well to combine with a spoon. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for the flavours to infuse while the wings are cooking.

Salsa ingredients are combined in a bowl

Rub the wings with olive oil, season with salt and lay them skin sides up on a roasting tray. Roast in the oven for half an hour before taking them out and setting them aside to rest for five or ten minutes.

Soft bread roll for making bruschetta

When the wings are resting, cut the bread roll in half horizontally and lightly toast the cut sides under your overhead grill/broiler.

Toasted bread roll for bruschetta

Rub the toasted sides of the roll with the crushed garlic clove, drizzle with a little oilve oil and season with salt and pepper.

Bruschetta and salsa

You will find it easier to avoid splashes on your plate if you spoon the salsa on to the bruschetta before plating. Afterwards, carefully lift the creations on to opposite corners of a square plate. The chicken wings can then be laid across the centre of the plate and garnished with the remaining basil.

Roast wings are plated with bruschetta and salsa