Easy-Breezy Bruschetta
6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup olive oil
*Plum tomatoes boast thicker skins, which are easier to remove, and they have fewer seeds and less juice.
Preheat the oven to 450°F, making sure there is a top rack in place.
Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Taking care not to burn your fingers, remove the tomato skins using a small knife.
Once peeled, dice the tomatoes, removing the seeds and juices from their centers. Finely chop the tomatoes, placing them in a bowl along with the garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar. Mix well and add the chopped basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Slice the baguette on a diagonal into approximately 1/2-inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Arrange the slices on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Once the oven is preheated, toast slices on the top rack for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.
Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.
Once toasted, align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. You can place the tomato topping in a separate bowl, allowing for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each toasted baguette slice and serve. If you do top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving so the bread doesn't get soggy.
Serves 6-10 for an appetizer, 3-4 as a meal
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup olive oil
*Plum tomatoes boast thicker skins, which are easier to remove, and they have fewer seeds and less juice.
Preheat the oven to 450°F, making sure there is a top rack in place.
Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Taking care not to burn your fingers, remove the tomato skins using a small knife.
Once peeled, dice the tomatoes, removing the seeds and juices from their centers. Finely chop the tomatoes, placing them in a bowl along with the garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar. Mix well and add the chopped basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Slice the baguette on a diagonal into approximately 1/2-inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Arrange the slices on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Once the oven is preheated, toast slices on the top rack for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.
Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.
Once toasted, align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. You can place the tomato topping in a separate bowl, allowing for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each toasted baguette slice and serve. If you do top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving so the bread doesn't get soggy.
Serves 6-10 for an appetizer, 3-4 as a meal
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