Tomato Bruschetta

Here is a great light-but-filling recipe perfect for summer – but ya don’t have to wait till then… make it anytime you need a reminder of summertime!

Tomato Bruschetta

Here’s the low-down on this easy-as-pie recipe:

You’ll need a few thick-ish slices of good rustic bread (½ inch should do the trick): something with a great crust but is still softly chewy on the inside – like French or sourdough (or any of a number of “artesian” style breads that are readily available today. Don’t be hasty in your selection though, as the bread is the key to a great bruschetta.

Next you’ll need some good extra virgin olive oil. Fry bread until light golden brown and crispy. You don’t want a soggy base to your dish. If you prefer going “lighter”, you can toast the bread in a hot oven (400°) until desired crispiness.

After frying (or toasting) rub each slice of bread with a whole clove of garlic (however much your taste buds prefer). Drizzle some good extra virgin olive oil on it at this time (if you toasted in oven) and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cut fresh tomatoes into chunks (any variety you like it fine – I prefer a nice selection of Heirloom tomatoes, which come in a rainbow of colors now-a-days), tear fresh basil leaves into medium sized pieces (to taste, but more is better) and toss with olive oil. Let this marinate for a while (10 minutes is good) and then season with salt and pepper. (Only add salt about ½ hour before serving, as it makes the tomatoes release their juices more rapidly… you want some juiciness, just not too much.)

Now, pile your lovely tomato/basil mixture onto the crispy bread, serve and enjoy.

This dish is a snap to make, appealing to the eye, easy on the waistline and oh so Yummmmy! Enjoy this taste of summer any time of year!