- The noun bruschetta (plural bruschette) comes from the Roman dialect verb bruscare, the equivalent of the Italian word abbrustolire, which means "to toast" or "to roast over coals."
- The word bruschetta is often associated with toasted bread topped with a chopped fresh tomato topping.
- Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer that is easy to make at home. Toasted bread is topped with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and fresh basil.
- Many of them are within the tomatoes! Amongst other things, they are a great source of potassium and Vitamin C. They are also a great source of antioxidants, which can help do all sorts of things for your body.
- In bruschetta, cherry tomatoes are pretty great.
- The best main dishes to serve with bruschetta are spaghetti bolognese, Tuscan white bean soup, and Italian-style meatball kabobs.
- Bruschetta can be served hot or cold.
- In this region, bruschetta is also known as 'fettunta', a name that means 'oily slice'. It's delicious, thanks to the local olive oil and the strong flavor of garlic.
- Thick slices of bread grilled, rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil, often topped with tomatoes and herbs, and usually served as an appetizer qualifies bruschetta.
Recipe :
Ingredients
- 6 to 7 ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
- 1 baguette, French bread, or similar Italian bread
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Method
1. Blanch and peel the tomatoes
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. As the water is heating make shallow cuts in a cross pattern at the tip ends of the tomatoes (this will make the tomatoes easier to peel). Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Put scored tomatoes in the hot water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and let sit until cool enough to handle. Then gently peel off the tomato skins. Cut out the stem base with a paring knife. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters and squeeze out most of the juices and seeds.
2. Preheat the oven
to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the top slot of the oven.
3. Chop tomatoes, and toss them with garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper
Finely chop the tomatoes and place them in a medium bowl. Mix in the minced garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and the balsamic vinegar.Stir in the thinly sliced basil and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding more to taste. (Note, tomatoes love salt; you may need to add more than you expect.)
4. Toast the baguette slices
Use a bread knife to slice the baguette on the diagonal making half-inch thick slices. Brush one side of each slice with olive oil (a pastry brush helps here) and place the olive oil side down on a baking sheet or roasting pan. The baguette slices will toast best in the top rack of your oven, so you may need to work in batches to toast them all. When the oven has reached 450°F (230°C) place the slices in the oven on the top rack and toast for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. If you want, you can toast the bread slices without coating them first in olive oil. Toast them until lightly browned on both sides. Then, cut a clove of garlic in half and rub over one side of the toast. Then, brush with olive oil.
5. Serve toasted bread with tomato mixture
Arrange the toasted bread on a platter, olive oil side facing up (the olive oil will help create a temporary barrier keeping the bread from getting soggy from the chopped tomatoes). Either serve the toast plain with a bowl of the tomato bruschetta mixture on the side for people to top their own, or use a spoon to gently top each toasted bread slice with some of the tomato mixtures. If you top each slice individually, do it right before serving.
