I am still talking tomatoes, here… I continue to find a few new tomatoes each day. Yippee! We are holding on to those fresh vegetables…until the very last one.
Bruschetta is one of my favorite appetizers. What is it about tomato and basil? It gets me every time.
I will never forget first experiencing Bruschetta directly from it’s origin in Italy. During my last year of college, I had the privilege of studying abroad for a semester in Rome. It was truly amazing to sit in an open ancient Piazza and be immersed within the Italian culture. The beautiful fountains, stone fluted columns, brick streets, smart cars, Vespas zipping by (quite literally), men and women dressed to the nines, listening to beautiful language around me, and perceiving this passionate culture was undoubtedly, an enriching encounter in my life. I enjoy reflecting on this when it comes to, “cooking anything Italian” now at home in my kitchen. 😉
If only I could get my flavors as bene as theirs. I’ll keep working on it. 😉
Bruschetta is really simple to make. The secret is using fresh ingredients: fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. Then lots of garlic and olive oil. Rustic bread. I sprinkled mozzarella on top. Drizzling balsamic vinegar would also be muy bueno!
- 4-5 fresh tomatoes, diced
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 T olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 baguette, sliced
- ¼ c. fresh shredded mozzarella
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice bread and lay out on cookie sheet.
- Bake bread for about 5 minutes on each side - until toasted.
- Then mix together diced tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- After bread has cooled, generously brush on olive oil.
- Spoon the tomato mixture on bread. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Thanks for the bruschetta recipe.