Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

Bruschetta al Pomodoro

Ingredients

600g Roma tomatoes 1 loaf Italian bread 3 garlic cloves 20 fresh basil leaves 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp red wine vinegar salt pepper

Detail Steps and Procedure

Select Tomatoes: Choose 600g of ripe but firm Roma or San Marzano tomatoes. Core each tomato, make shallow X on bottom. Blanch and Peel: Bring medium pot of water to boil. Prepare ice bath. Drop tomatoes in boiling water 30 seconds until skin starts to peel. Transfer immediately to ice bath. Peel off skins. Seed and Dice: Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Gently squeeze to remove seeds and excess liquid over bowl (reserve juice). Dice tomatoes into 1/2cm cubes. Season Tomatoes: In non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic), combine diced tomatoes, 2 minced garlic cloves (optional for tomato mix), 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp high-quality extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix gently. Let marinate at room temperature 30-60 minutes (never refrigerate). Prepare Bread: Select 1 large loaf of crusty Italian bread (Pugliese or Ciabatta). Cut into 2cm thick slices on diagonal to maximize surface area. Toast Bread: Preheat grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush bread slices lightly with olive oil on both sides. Toast 2-3 minutes per side until deep grill marks form and edges are crisp but center still chewy. Garlic Rubbing: While bread is hot, immediately rub one side of each slice with cut side of whole garlic clove. The heat will extract garlic essence without raw bite. Drain Tomatoes: Just before assembling, drain marinated tomatoes in colander set over bowl to remove excess liquid (reserve liquid for drinking or other use). Assemble: Place toasted bread on serving platter. Spoon tomato mixture generously over each slice, allowing some to fall onto plate. Final Drizzle: Drizzle each bruschetta with additional extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tsp per slice). Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (Maldon or fleur de sel). Garnish: Top with whole small basil leaves. Serve within 5 minutes to prevent sogginess. Variation: For bruschetta al pomodoro e mozzarella, add small buffalo mozzarella cubes to tomato mixture.

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