Really good Bruschetta…here we go!

You know what they say, bruschetta is only as good as your tomatoes, and so now…now is the time to make the best bruschetta with all your perfectly red ripe garden tomatoes. It’s one of those crowd-pleasing no-fuss appetizers that can be served at room temp. This time of year, I want to eat tomato toast all the time, and this is basically a gourmet tomato toast.

What kind of bread do you need to make bruschetta?

We like to use long narrow loaves, like a baguette. You really can make bruschetta with your favorite kind of bread. A loaf of French bread or sour dough are both great, it’s up to you and your preference. If you are not up for slicing a full loaf of bread, often times you can find a container or bag of sliced bread, like crostini. They will work great for this.

What kind of tomatoes do you need to make Bruschetta?

When it comes to tomatoes to make bruschetta, you really can use what ever kind of red tomato you’d like. The key is to use the most red ripe tomatoes. When garden tomatoes are in season, they will make this recipe! Nothing beats perfectly red ripe tomatoes. Bruschetta is only as good as your tomatoes.

toasted bread slices | NoBiggie.net — toasted with mayo? -yes…you can swap out the olive oil for mayo…we love how it toasts to nicely.

Can you add basil pesto in bruschetta?

We love to add basil pesto to bruschetta, it already has garlic in it so it has both great garlic flavor and basil flavor.

Italian bruschetta recipe | NoBiggie.net — Basil Pesto adds to much good basil flavor to the tomatoes…and it has garlic in it.

Tips a Tricks:

For a more garlicky flavor, rub a clove of cut fresh garlic onto the toasted bread before adding the diced tomato mixture.
For easy spreading, often times we like to use mayo in place of olive oil before toasting the baguette slices. We find that the mayo spreads so evenly and coats the bread perfectly. It also toasts nicely in the oven.
Peel the tomatoes: when garden tomatoes are super ripe, they peel with ease. If you don’t want the tomatoes with the peel, you can peel them before dicing.
Remove the seeds and excess liquid from the tomatoes so you don’t end up with a soupy mess. Using a colander to help drain liquids is super helpful.
Diced tomato mixture can sit at room temp up to 30 minutes.

Bruschetta

Simple Italian Bruschetta made with perfectly ripe tomatoes.

Author Kami | NoBiggie.net

Ingredients

3 vine ripened tomatoes
1 tablespoon basil pesto
5 basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
kosher salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 baguette sliced
1/2 cup olive oil for spreading on bread slices
balsamic vinegar glaze *optional
micro basil leaves *optional garnish

Instructions

To start dice your tomatoes. Remove most the seeds and excess liquids. Add the diced tomatoes to a colander over a bowl to allow most juices to fall away.
Roll up the basil leaves and slice into thin strips.
In a bowl add the diced tomatoes, EVOO, oregano, a few pinches of salt, basil leaves and basil pesto. Stir to combine. Let this mixture rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
Place bread slices onto a sheet pan in rows. Spread olive oil onto both sides of each bread slice. Season the bread slices with salt and pepper. Place the bread slices under your oven broiler until lightly toasted…careful not to burn (don’t walk away during this step). Toast slices on both sides.
Move warm toasted bread slices to your serving platter. Top with the diced tomato mixture. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Garnish with micro basil leaves. Optional: Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze if desired. Can be served at room temperature.