Bruschetta, pronounced “Bru-Sketta” in Italy, is simply toast rubbed with garlic and topped with fresh tomatoes. During my visit to Venice this summer, I discovered how this simple little apertivo could become something more like a meal. For the past month, I’ve tried to replicate the taste I discovered at a little cafe’ outside of Piazza San Marco. To read more about our days in Venice, go here: http://www.eatwritepacklight.com/destinations-in-italy/venice/
The key to delicious bruschetta is having fresh, quality ingredients. With all the garden tomatoes available this time of year, that hasn’t been a problem for me. I use a good Italian bread, fresh basil from the back deck, and add a little garlic and onions to create the best bruschetta you’ll ever taste. Lately, I’ve tried adding artichokes, mushrooms, and mozzarella. All the different ways are delicious. James loves them with mushrooms. My mother-in-law likes it with cheese. But, my favorite Is the original, plus a few artichokes. If you notice in the picture above, I created a pan bruschetta with a mixture of several types.
Start by slicing the Italian bread about a half inch thick. Toast it in the oven, rub on the roasted garlic, and cover with onions and a few artichokes. Toast it a little more. It’s that simple.
Top with a mixture of fresh tomatoes, chopped basil, oil and balsamic. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve your friends the best bruschetta ever!
If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, leave them off. Or, if you want a little cheese, add it on. Just experiment and let me know what other combinations I need to try. Here’s the bruschetta with cheese:
The recipe I’ve given you is the one I make most often. Here it is:
- 6 slices of Italian Bread
- 3 large garden tomatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 basil leaves, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped. Leave a few large pieces for rubbing.
- 6 artichoke hearts from a jar
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon of salt or salt to your taste.
- Slice the bread about ½" thick.
- Toast the bread on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
- In a skillet, saute' onion and garlic. Leave a few large pieces of garlic to rub into the bread.
- Chop the artichokes into small pieces.
- In a bowl add the chopped tomatoes. Stir in the basil, oil, balsamic vinegar and salt.
- Remove the toasted bread. Rub with the larger pieces of the roasted garlic.
- Spread the remaining onion and garlic over the bread. Add the chopped artichokes.
- Place back into the oven for a few more minutes to warm the artichokes.
- Remove, and top with the tomato mixture.
