Classic (kind of) Bruschetta

This is my favorite all-time summer recipe. I love the fresh basil and tomatoes with cheese on some great fresh bread. Just a simple and wonderful thing. I base this recipe on the Bruschetta I had at a small cafe right outside the Vatican in Rome. I think I had it with a French Pinot Noir. Yes, I know, I was in Italy, but I like Pinot Noir. They used Roma tomatoes, and that is what I put in this recipe. I, however, mostly use cherry tomatoes cut in half because that is what I have in my garden. They work wonderful. I also added fresh mozzarella, which the classic recipe in Rome did not have. You can skip the mozzarella for a classic recipe, or add the mozzarella and skip the parmesan cheese on the toast if that is too much cheese for you. It’s your recipe, so have fun with it!

Ingredients

• Makes about 24 bruschetta toasts

• 6 Roma tomatoes, diced

• 1 cup diced mozzarella cheese

• 1/3 cup basil leaves, chopped

• 5 garlic cloves, divided

• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• balsamic glaze (store bought)

• Toast

• 1 baguette

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Core and dice tomatoes. Drain any excess juice and transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl. If using cherry tomatoes, wash and cut them in half.

2. Stack basil leaves and roll them into a tube. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the basil into ribbons and transfer to the bowl with tomatoes.

3. Finely mince 5 garlic cloves. Mix 1 tsp of minced garlic into 3 Tbsp olive oil and set aside. Add the remaining minced garlic to the mixing bowl with the tomatoes. Add the diced mozzarella cheese to the mixing bowl.

4. Mix 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp balsamic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper and add to the mixing bowl with tomatoes. Stir gently to combine and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Toast

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Cut baguette into 1/2” thick slices, slicing diagonally. Place bread slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the garlic-infused olive oil on both sides of the toasts. Sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese and bake at 400˚F for 5 minutes. If you have a broiler, then broil on high heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. If you do not have a broiler, you can leave the toast in the oven for an additional couple of minutes.

2. Spoon the tomato mixture over the toasts and serve with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Keyword: Main Side Italian