Recipe: Bruschetta

As you can probably tell from my last name, I’ve got a little bit of Italian in me…. so I’m drawn to large amount of garlic, tomato-y goodness and olive oil (I say it’s in my genes). That’s why this is one of my favorite side dishes to serve. It’s easy, scrumptuous and satisfies virtually every appetite!

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(Note: this recipe is made for two. You can easily multiply it for more people!)

For Two:

Ingredients

4-5 Roma Tomatoes
3 Med. Sized Garlic Cloves, Crushed (4, including the 1/4 of one you’ll be using to rub on bread)
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion (Red will do, but the flavor of the yellow is perfect)
8-10 Medium Sized Basil Leaves
1/4 Cup Olive Oil (I use Filippo Berio Extra Virgin)
2-6 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (changes depending on the age and the desired taste)

Directions

Mix together and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to let the flavors come out. Whole tomatoes should NEVER be refrigerated anyways, and this dish barely keeps for longer than 24 hours.

I usually end up using about 3/4 of a loaf of French Bread, sliced and toasted in a toaster oven, though you can put them under the broiler… just watch the bread closely. After toasted, take the whole clove of garlic and gently rub on both sides of each slice. The more you rub, the stronger it gets… so if you (or whomever else you’re feeding) isn’t a huge garlic fan, use very little.

You can use some Peccorino Romano if you like. I think it has enough flavor on its own.