Made With Love (And Fun Family Stories): An Exclusive Guest Post and Recipe from Dan Pelosi, Author of Let’s Eat

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Creating my first cookbook has been a dream come true!! Let’s Eat (are there two better words??) is full of recipes that are made with love and are accompanied by fun family stories to warm your heart while filling your belly.   

After a lifetime of talking about food with my grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and sister, you would think we had nothing more to say. But while writing this book, I spent even more time discussing recipes with every one of those people, soaking up all of our family knowledge, stories, and secrets. This book is dedicated to keeping alive the traditions, the laughter, the conversations, and the recipes of all the generations before me. It’s a collection of my favorite recipes — some old, some new, but all rooted in the joy of cooking. They have served me well as simple, approachable, and delicious, ready to be shared with the people I love.  

One such recipe that I can’t wait to share with you is the Bruschetta Dip, which is perfect for this time of year. I grew up a Food Network kid, which means that when I close my eyes, I can vividly hear Giada De Laurentiis saying the word bruschetta with the most excited yell about halfway through the word. Her pronunciation was truly chaotic, yet we thrived on it. In this era, one in which we might pronounce bruschetta with softer tones, we’re laying this traditional topping on a bed of yogurt and surrounding her with plenty of toasty bread for dipping. A simple blend of oil, vinegar, garlic, and basil makes for a dip that’s refreshing, light, cool, creamy, and oh so summery. 

Bruschetta Dip 

Serves 8 

1. MAKE THE TOAST: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.  

2. Arrange the baguette slices on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle them with olive oil, then bake for about 8 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and gently rub each slice with the garlic clove. 

3. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE DIP: Halve the tomatoes and discard the seeds and cores. Roughly chop the tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to mix, then let the tomatoes marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

4. Drain the tomatoes, reserving both the solids and the liquid. In a medium bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the reserved liquid, the Greek yogurt, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine well, then taste for seasoning. 

5. Swoop the yogurt over the bottom of a platter, then spoon the reserved tomatoes over the top. Serve with the toasts alongside for dipping.