Crostinis are a traditional Italian appetizer. There are so many different toppings for a crostini: olive, mushroom, ricotta, artichoke, meat, and the list goes on and on, almost whatever your heart desires. One of my top crostinis and one of the most popular in the world is the Bruschetta: tomato & basil crostini. Bruschetta comes from the Italian word ‘bruscare’ which means “to roast over coals.” This refers to the bread being toasted. When I was young, I wasn't a fan of tomatoes but for some reason the flavor of bruschetta was different. I loved it. I don’t know how it works…but it tastes like heaven in your mouth. It's such a basic dish with only a few ingredients. Therefore, the most important thing when making bruschetta is fresh, good quality ingredients. I love using heirloom tomatoes to make bruschetta. Heirloom tomatoes are bursting with flavor. Good quality olive oil is also very very important. It's a very simple dish with so much flavor.
Ingredients:
1 pound baby heirloom tomatoes (I get mine from Trader Joe's.)
3 Cloves garlic
½ bunch basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Dice tomatoes and place them in a bowl.
Finely mince garlic and add on tomatoes.
Chop basil leaves and add to bowl.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drizzle with olive oil, mix well, and let stand for 1 hour.
Serve on top or with a side of baguette slices. Top with Parmesan cheese & freshly ground black pepper.
