Updated 2.27.2020.
Here’s what I said about this recipe back in 2012:
Using a gift card for Grand Central Bakery, Dad and I have been buying lots of fresh loaves of bread while he’s been in town. Ever since making the Roasted Garlic Bruschetta the other day, I’ve been dying to make a tomato bruschetta – it’s one of my favorite appetizers and pretty easy to make.
I obviously wasn’t very wordy back then.
I recently began making my own sourdough bread and I sometimes make … too much. This is the perfect recipe to use up bread that’s starting to lose its freshness and/or if you have an overabundance of fresh tomatoes on hand. The tomato juice will soak into the toasted bread and guests will never know you’re serving them aging bread. Tee hee hee!
Eat as an appetizer and share with others or as your meal on a warm day when it’s too hot to do any real cooking.
ingredients.
- 3 or 4 chopped ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes
- 8 fresh basil leaves, Julienned (basil chiffonade)
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 pinch of dried oregano
- 1 dash of crushed red pepper
- pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 to 3 T. extra-virgin olive oil (basil flavored, if you have it)
- ½ loaf of artisan bread, cut into diagonal slices
- Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish (leave off for a vegan dish)
directions.
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the mixture and allow the mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes for flavors to blend.
- In the meantime, preheat the broiler. Arrange the slices of bread in a single layer on the top rack of the oven and brown both sides lightly – about two or three minutes on each side. Remove the slices from the oven and place on a plate.
- Sprinkle the tomato mixture on the still warm toasted bread slices, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly grated cheese. Serve immediately – this dish will get cold fast.
Recipe rating:
Food Snob 