Bruschetta

Bruschetta al Pomodoro e Basilico

The classic Roman antipasto: thick slices of rustic bread, grilled until charred at the edges, rubbed with raw garlic, and topped with a bright tomato-basil salad. Quality extra virgin olive oil and ripe, in-season tomatoes are non-negotiable.

Prep

15 min

Cook

6 min

Total

21 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) rustic Italian bread, a day-old, country-style loaf such as pane casareccio or ciabatta; sourdough works well in a home kitchen
• •2 whole large garlic cloves, one clove cut in half for rubbing, one finely minced for the topping
• •500 g (1.1 lb) ripe tomatoes, vine-ripened Roma or San Marzano if available; must be room-temperature and full-flavored
• •15 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, torn by hand at the last moment, never chopped with a knife
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil, a grassy, peppery Italian oil, divided use
• •3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •1 g (¼ tsp) black pepper, freshly cracked, or null

Steps

1. 1 Core the tomatoes, cut them in half, and squeeze out the seedy pulp. Dice the flesh into roughly 1 cm (½ in) pieces and place in a bowl.
2. 2 Add the minced garlic clove, 30 ml (2 tbsp) of the olive oil, 3 g (½ tsp) salt, and the black pepper to the tomatoes. Toss gently and let macerate for 10 minutes.
3. 3 Cut the bread into 1.5 cm (about ½ in) thick slices. If using a grill or grill pan, get it very hot; otherwise preheat a cast-iron skillet or oven broiler to high.
4. 4 Toast the bread in a single layer until well browned with visible char marks, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The surface should crackle and sound hollow when tapped.
5. 5 Immediately rub the hot surface of each slice firmly with the cut side of the halved garlic clove; the heat will melt the garlic into the bread. Drizzle the remaining 30 ml (2 tbsp) of olive oil over the warm slices and let it soak in for 1 minute.
6. 6 Pile the macerated tomatoes generously onto each slice, allowing the juices to spill over. Top with the torn basil leaves, finish with a final pinch of salt, and serve at once while the bread is still warm and crisp.