Bruschetta

At this point, I think everyone has heard of bruschetta. It's one of those foods that has really picked up in popularity over the last decade or so. In its simplest form, bruschetta is made of diced tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, and salt. That's it. You might see some folks make it their own by adding something special like red wine vinegar, scallions, or something else. But sometimes I really like the classic. Just very basic - and delicious - flavors.

Bruschetta is usually served on top of crostini. That's just a piece of toasted bread, usually with some garlic rubbed on there. Crostini can be served with all kinds of great toppings including bruschetta, olive tapanade, or other meats, cheeses, and vegetables.

 Bruschetta
Makes: 4 servings

4 ripe tomatoes, cut into a 1/2" dice
2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt

Crostini:
1 baguette, ciabatta, or other crusty bread
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic

• Make the crostini by slicing the bread on a bias (that means at an angle). Toast the bread pieces either on a grill or under a broiler.
• Remove the bread from the heat, immediately rub each piece with the garlic while the bread is still hot. Then brush with a small amount of the olive oil.
• Now make the bruschetta. Mix together the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and salt.
• Serve the bruschetta on the crostini pieces right before serving. If you do this too early, the bread with get soggy.

Some people like to serve their bruschetta with a little sprinkle of shredded parmesan or asiago cheese. I'm a firm believer that not everything can be improved with the addition of cheese. I think this recipe is just the right balance of flavors as is. That being said, if you're a cheese fiend, go ahead and sprinkle some on there.

Bruschetta can also be used to top a piece of grilled chicken or fish or even mixed in with some hot pasta. Go ahead and get creative!

I was so excited to use the fresh tomatoes and basil from my container garden in this recipe. It stinks living in an apartment sometimes but I won't let that stop me from growing fresh veggies!