Last year, we made a lot of fried appetizers, which, although they are very tasty, they aren’t the greatest in terms of their nutritional value. So, I thought we could spend some of this month highlighting some of my favorite appetizers for when I want a lighter option.
So, for our first recipe for this month, I thought we could start with Bruschetta, a simple antipasto, or Italian appetizer. It is a very light and refreshing first course, and it’s a great way to use your summer tomatoes as well as any other vegetables you’ve been growing in your garden (or that you’ve just picked up from the grocery store).
Bruschetta actually refers to the toasted bread part of the dish, with its etymology coming from the Italian verb “bruscare,” which means “to roast over coals.” So, if you plan on bringing this dish to a summer barbecue, I highly recommend toasting your bread using the grill to make your dish even more authentic. But, as long as you toast your bread somehow, you can still technically call it bruschetta, even if you swap out the traditional tomato and basil topping with something else.
Speaking of which, other traditional toppings include adding mozzarella, as I have done, as well as adding anchovies and capers for more of a Sicilian style. And you can even go an entirely different direction and turn your bruschetta into a dessert by topping your toasted bread with strawberries, honey, and ricotta. So, no matter your preferences, you can paint your toasted bread canvas with any flavors, ranging from the savory to the sweet, to make your bruschetta the way you like.
Ingredients:
- 4 to 6 fresh tomatoes (you can use whatever you have on hand, but I’ll be using Roma tomatoes)
- 1/3 cup or so fresh basil leaves
- 1 loaf of Tuscan bread (or any other rustic Italian loaf or you can use baguette as well)
- 2-4 tablespoons or so of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves or so
- 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese (optional)
- Some salt and pepper
Step 1: Preheat Oven to 375°F
First, preheat your oven to 375°F. And while we wait, we’ll prepare our ingredients.
Step 2: Dice up Tomatoes
Give your tomatoes a wash and then dice them up into bite sized pieces. You can use a food processor for this if you plan on making a lot of topping, but I prefer the handcut chunks of tomatoes with my bruschetta, so I’ll be cutting these by hand.
Toss these into a colander or a strainer to strain out the excess liquid. This will help to concentrate the flavors and will keep the bread from getting too soggy, but you can skip this step if you wish.
Then, place these into a mixing bowl.
Step 3: Chiffonade your Basil
Next, for your basil, place the leaves in a stack and roll them into a tube. Then, using a sharp knife, thinly slice the basil into thin ribbons, also known as chiffonade, and then transfer to the tomato bowl. You can also set some of the basil aside for garnishing later.
Step 4: Slice your Bread
Then, for your bread, you’ll want to slice it into 1/2 inch – 1 inch slices, depending on how wide your bread is. My bread is pretty big, so I’ll go on the thinner side, but if you plan on using a thin bread like a baguette, I recommend going thicker for better topping support, but it’s entirely up to your preferences.
Step 5: Toast your Bread in Oven
Your oven should be done preheating by now, so grab your bread and place it onto a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for four-five minutes or until they turn lightly golden. You may brush these with some olive oil before placing them into the oven if you wish, but it’s not necessary.
Step 6: Mix in Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar w/ Tomato & Basil
While we wait, we’ll continue making the tomato-basil topping, so to that bowl, add in your olive oil and your balsamic vinegar and give this a mix and let this marinate while we wait for the bread.
Step 7: Rub Toasted Bread w/ Raw Garlic & Place Mozzarella
When your bread is ready, take it out of the oven, and quickly cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut side of the garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top if you wish. Then, place the bread back into the oven to melt the cheese, which should only take about a minute or so.
Step 8: Add Leftover Garlic to Tomato-Basil Mixture
And so as to not waste the garlic cloves, give the leftover pieces a quick mince and mix it into the tomato-basil bowl.
Step 9: Take Bread Out & Serve w/ Tomato-Basil Topping
Once your cheese has melted, take your bread out of the oven and place it onto a serving plate.
You may spoon the tomato-basil topping on right now if you are going to eat it right away, but you can also serve the bread and topping separately to ensure that the bread doesn’t get too soggy.
But, once you do put the tomatoes on, make sure to sprinkle it with some salt and pepper, if you wish, and with that, your Bruschetta is ready to eat.