Oh yes we did – we toted the word “best”! But that’s because we watched the beautiful transformation of one of our own, a confirmed tomato hater, as she RAVED about how amazing this Bruschetta recipe is! And yeah, it is!
Springtime – it’s a sigh of relief for those of us who live where much of the world slumbers during winter’s long, cold months. It’s like a breath of fresh air! The earth awakens and welcomes a season of sowing, which brings forth the juiciest and most vibrantly colored produce in every shade of the rainbow to last the summer through.
Highlighting some of the season’s best, bruschetta’s combination of fresh, tangy tomatoes perfectly marries the distinct aroma of garlic and the zing of onion, while sweet undertones from the basil bring out a robust fullness of flavor that will have your taste buds dancing for days!
From the very beginning of preparing this recipe we were, all three, eyes glazed and mouths watering at the sumptuous aroma of fresh garlic that punctuated the atmosphere like an exclamation point to our morning.
The smell of fresh basil sent me over the edge – I LOVE basil! I could hardly wait for the tomatoes to finish marinating so that we could finish the recipe and then … sample, of course! And that’s when Erin shocked us; she explained that while the recipe looked AND smelled amazing, she didn’t like tomatoes and would probably leave the taste-testing to Lori and me. But once this beautiful appetizer emerged from the oven, she changed her mind.
Our skeptic was willing to at least try a bite. And with one bite (quickly followed by by a few others … who’s counting?!) she was converted! Lightly roasted in the oven while the cheese melts, the flavors of this bruschetta are so lively and inviting. We three couldn’t sing enough praises of this flavorful favorite brought to you in Bronner’s first cookbook! (And we will certainly be making this more often!)
So without further ado, here is the BEST bruschetta recipe to convert a confirmed tomato hater:
BRUSCHETTA
Ingredients:
– 6 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 4 regular tomatoes)
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
– 3 Tbl. olive oil
– 2¼ tsp. balsamic vinegar
– 2 Tbl. fresh basil, chopped (or parsley)
– ½ onion, finely chopped
– ½ tsp. kosher or rock salt
– ¼ tsp. cracked pepper
– baguette loaf, in about 1″ thick slices (or frozen garlic bread)
– 2 Tbl. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions:
1. Whisk together chopped garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, basil and onion.
2. Slowly drizzle in olive oil. Add tomatoes and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
3. Toast the bread in a toaster or under the broiler (can lightly brush with additional olive oil first if desired.)
4. Rub toast on one side with garlic clove.
5. Put on a cookie sheet and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle on Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and broil until cheese melts.
6. Serve warm or cold.
RECIPE NOTE: If using frozen garlic bread (with or without cheese), bake as directed on package and skip the garlic rubbing step.)
*submitted by Maria Bronner-Sutorik
