ORIGINAL ITALIAN TOMATO BRUSCHETTA
There’s no argument: bruschetta is the perfect dish to serve when you’re craving something classic and refreshing.
Easy to prepare, it is made up of simple and classic ingredients: toasted bread flavored with garlic, tomatoes, basil leaves and a marinade of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
You can prepare it all year round but the best time to enjoy Bruschetta is certainly summer, when fresh tomatoes are at their best. A trick to getting the perfect Bruschetta is to leave the tomatoes to marinate as long as possible in the mixture of olive oil and vinegar.
Tomatoes are the key ingredient in this recipe, be careful when buying them: it’s worth using the highest quality, ripe and fresh ones. The final objective, however, is also to keep the toasted bread nice and crunchy: so try to season it with the tomatoes just a few moments before serving the Bruschetta so as not to let it soften too much.
This is the basic recipe for tomato bruschetta with balsamic vinegar, but you can also decide to add other ingredients, such as olives, capers, anchovy fillets, tuna, feta cheese or diced avocado.
Tomato Bruschettas are easy to prepare, ready in a very short time and perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a fresh and quick second course.
For other ideas to serve as an appetizer or during an aperitif, also look at:
- DifficultyVery easy
- CostVery cheap
- Preparation time15 Minutes
- Cooking time10 Minutes
- Serving4
- Cooking methodToaster
- CuisineItalian
Ingredients
Ingredients For Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients For marinade
Ingredients For Filling
Tools
Steps
Combine chopped tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Let sit for at least 10 minutes (this isn’t mandatory, but if you do it will help bring out the flavor).
Cut bread into slices about half a centimeter thick. Heat a grill well and place the slices of bread on top. Grill bread on both sides until toasted (about 5 minutes). Lightly brush bread slices with oil on both sides. Cut a peeled garlic clove in half and lightly rub the cut portion on the surface of the bread to impart a hint of garlic flavor.
Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a few drops of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Arrange the slices of bread on a plate, and distribute the cherry tomatoes evenly. Garnish with mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and season with the previously prepared dressing based on oil and balsamic vinegar.
NOTE
BREAD The best bread for preparing Bruschetta should have a sturdy crust and be solid enough to hold the filling. Choose a type of bread such as Tuscan bread or ciabatta for a more traditional bruschetta, or slices of French bread such as baguette.
OIL must be strictly extra virgin olive oil.
VINEGAR There is no substitute for VINEGAR: it must be balsamic vinegar (preferably from Modena) and not apple or rice vinegar.
STORAGE
The Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic should be consumed immediately. I advise you to toast the fresh bread and garnish it at the last minute so that it retains all its crunchiness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a typical Italian appetizer made with toasted bread and tomato. Many think that the term Bruschetta (pronounced “brusketa”) refers to the tomato-based condiment but in reality it refers to toasted bread. There are different types of bruschetta, the classic one with only tomatoes or other versions enriched with vegetables such as roasted peppers or with the addition of cheese, for example.
Varied doses for servings