What to Buy1. Tomatoes - 3 medium, sweet ones - even better if each is a different variety
2. Cherry Tomatoes - 5 medium ones
3. Baguette - 1 fresh French white baguette
4. Basil - 15 leaves, dark basil works too
5. Salt - 1 teaspoon
6. Black Ground Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
8. Balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
9. Garlic - 2 large heads
10. Parmesan - 1/3 cup
Feta or small cubes of ham for serving
How to Make It1. It's best to take all the ingredients out of the fridge ahead of time - the flavor is milder if the tomatoes are at room temperature.
2. Wash the tomatoes, cut off the stems and tops, cut into rings and cubes, put them in a food processor as in the picture and pulse a couple of times, no more - so it doesn't turn to mush but stays in smaller chunks
3. Cut the garlic crosswise, wash the basil and pat dry with paper towels
4. Add the basil leaves, a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper, the chopped garlic, grated Parmesan, three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, pulse a couple more times so everything combines but doesn't turn to liquid, set aside for 15 minutes so the flavors blend
5. Turn on and preheat the oven to 180 degrees, take out a baking sheet so it's not hot when you use it
6. While the oven heats, cut the baguette diagonally into toasts, place them on the baking sheet on parchment paper, put it in the oven for about seven minutes, watching that the edges of the toasts brown but don't turn into hard crackers - check with a finger in the middle of the toast: if the center is soft and the edge is baked and firm, it's ready. The key is not to overdo it, or it'll hurt to eat :), but don't leave it too soft either, or the juice from the topping will turn the toast to mush
7. Once the toasts are ready, you can take them out and rub them with garlic on the side that will get the topping, if you like a sharper flavor - you can skip this too. Spoon the topping on top, not spreading it but piling it up, as in the picture
You can add feta and/or small cubes of ham on top, but it's fine without them too. Bruschetta is more of an appetizer, so two or three pieces per person is plenty - great with soup, for example. Or with a glass of white wine before the main course. Enjoy your meal!
2. Cherry Tomatoes - 5 medium ones
3. Baguette - 1 fresh French white baguette
4. Basil - 15 leaves, dark basil works too
5. Salt - 1 teaspoon
6. Black Ground Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
8. Balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
9. Garlic - 2 large heads
10. Parmesan - 1/3 cup
Feta or small cubes of ham for serving
How to Make It1. It's best to take all the ingredients out of the fridge ahead of time - the flavor is milder if the tomatoes are at room temperature.
2. Wash the tomatoes, cut off the stems and tops, cut into rings and cubes, put them in a food processor as in the picture and pulse a couple of times, no more - so it doesn't turn to mush but stays in smaller chunks
3. Cut the garlic crosswise, wash the basil and pat dry with paper towels
4. Add the basil leaves, a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper, the chopped garlic, grated Parmesan, three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, pulse a couple more times so everything combines but doesn't turn to liquid, set aside for 15 minutes so the flavors blend
5. Turn on and preheat the oven to 180 degrees, take out a baking sheet so it's not hot when you use it
6. While the oven heats, cut the baguette diagonally into toasts, place them on the baking sheet on parchment paper, put it in the oven for about seven minutes, watching that the edges of the toasts brown but don't turn into hard crackers - check with a finger in the middle of the toast: if the center is soft and the edge is baked and firm, it's ready. The key is not to overdo it, or it'll hurt to eat :), but don't leave it too soft either, or the juice from the topping will turn the toast to mush
7. Once the toasts are ready, you can take them out and rub them with garlic on the side that will get the topping, if you like a sharper flavor - you can skip this too. Spoon the topping on top, not spreading it but piling it up, as in the picture
You can add feta and/or small cubes of ham on top, but it's fine without them too. Bruschetta is more of an appetizer, so two or three pieces per person is plenty - great with soup, for example. Or with a glass of white wine before the main course. Enjoy your meal!
