Sauce
Tomato Basil Bruschetta (Italy)
- Preparation time
- 20 min
- Servings
- serves 4
Ingredients
- Tomato — to buy4
- Garlic — to buy2 cloves
- Basil — to buy1 bunch
- Olive oil — to buy3 tbsp
- Bread — to buy8 slices
- Salt — to buy1 pinch
- Pepper — to buy1 pinch
Preparation
Pick very ripe, fragrant tomatoes, at room temperature (never straight from the fridge, cold kills their flavour): this is the star ingredient, so use the best you can find.
Dice them small, put them in a strainer with a pinch of salt and let them drain for 10 minutes: this keeps the bruschetta from turning soggy.
Mix the tomato dice with the very finely chopped garlic, basil torn at the last moment (it browns fast once cut), a generous drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.
Let it rest for 10 minutes in a cool spot so the flavours meld.
Toast the bread slices (oven, toaster or pan) until nicely golden and crisp.
As soon as they come out, rub each hot slice with a halved garlic clove: the heat releases its aroma without it becoming too sharp.
Spoon the tomato mixture onto the bread just before serving, so it stays crisp to the last bite.