Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Bruschetta al Pomodoro is crisp, charred bread crowned with juicy fresh tomatoes, fragrant basil, garlic, and fruity extra-virgin olive oil. The contrast of warm, crunchy sourdough and cool, seasoned tomato topping makes it bright, simple, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
Tomato-basil topping
- 500 gripe tomatoes
- 10 gfresh basil leaves
- 30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 4 gfine sea salt
- 1 gfreshly ground black pepper
Grilled sourdough
- 8 slices, about 240 gsourdough bread
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and halvedgarlic for rubbing
- 15 mlextra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- 1
Dice the ripe tomatoes into small 1 cm pieces, discarding excess watery seeds if the tomatoes are very juicy. Tear or roughly chop the fresh basil leaves; tearing helps prevent bruising and keeps the aroma fresh.
- 2
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently so the tomatoes stay chunky, then let the topping rest for 2 minutes while the salt draws out a little juice.
- 3
Heat a grill pan, skillet, or toaster to high heat. Lightly brush both sides of the sourdough bread with extra-virgin olive oil for brushing, then grill or toast for about 2 minutes per side until crisp, golden, and lightly charred at the edges.
- 4
While the bread is still hot, rub one side of each slice with the cut side of the garlic. Use a light hand for a subtle aroma or rub more firmly for a stronger garlic flavor.
- 5
Spoon the tomato-basil topping generously over the warm grilled bread, including a little of the tomato juices. Serve immediately so the bread stays crisp underneath and juicy on top.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Use the ripest tomatoes you can find; room-temperature tomatoes taste sweeter and more aromatic than chilled ones.
- •If the topping becomes very watery, spoon it onto the bread with a slotted spoon, then drizzle a little of the juice over the top.
- •For the best texture, assemble bruschetta just before serving rather than letting the bread sit under the tomatoes.
Background
Bruschetta comes from central Italy, where slices of rustic bread were traditionally grilled and rubbed with garlic to taste the new season’s olive oil. The tomato-topped version became especially popular after tomatoes were fully embraced in Italian cooking, and it remains a classic antipasto throughout Italy.
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