Bruschetta al Pomodoro
sandravalvassori.com
Capture the flavors of summer with this mouth-watering recipe for Bruschetta al Pomdoro. With just 5 basic ingredients, this remarkably simple recipe will show you how easy it is to make a tomato bruschetta just like the ones you'd find in Italy.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes medium-sized diced in medium chunks (about 4 cups- see notes)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 8-10 large fresh basil leaves cut into chiffonade (see notes), plus more for garnish
- 1 baguette cut into ½ inch slices
- 1-2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced in half crosswise
- flakey salt, optional to finish
Instructions
- Halve the tomatoes then remove and discard most of the seeds. Chop tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt, a small pinch of black pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and chopped basil. Gently stir to combine, then let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, heat an outdoor grill, or grill pan, to medium high heat. Drizzle bread slices with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil (one side only). Grill each until crispy and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes each side.
- Transfer to a sheet pan or platter and while bread is still warm, rub one side of each slice with the cut-side of the garlic clove. I do about 8-10 strokes, pressing firmly with the garlic, on each slice.
- Spoon a generous amount of the marinated tomatoes over each slice of bread, and sprinkle with flakey salt, if using. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil all over the bruschetta and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cut the bread accordingly. Cut a baguette-style bread in a diagonal to get larger surface area for the topping. If using a large loaf of bread, you will want to cut the slices in half to make the pieces more manageable for serving.
- Toast the bread on both sides, but not too much. You want the bread slices crispy on the outside but they should remain a little soft on the inside to make it easier to bite into.
- Serve the bruschetta warm or at room temperature. Your bruschetta pomodoro is best served immediately so don't let it sit for too long.
- Unless you love garlic, use a light hand. You will be surprised how garlicky the bread tastes just from rubbing it with the garlic clove. If you love garlic you can rub a little more aggressively, otherwise, use a light hand.
- Chop the basil properly. Basil bruises and oxidizes easily if it's not cut properly. To cut it, roll the basil leaves up and thinly slice crosswise with a very sharp knife. Don't cut through the chopped basil again. Alternatively, use your hands to chop each leaf into small pieces.
- Allow the tomato mixture to sit. Letting the tomato mixture sit for about 15 to 30 minutes will allow all the flavors to meld. That said, if you're in a hurry, even 5-10 minutes will do the trick.
- Leftovers. Bruschetta al pomodoro is best eaten right away. However, if you have leftovers don't let them go to waste. Place the leftover bruschetta on a large plate or platter, in a single layer, and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Allow to come to room temperature before using, or reheat under the broiler (or a toaster oven) for 1-2 minutes.