Bruschetta
makes four
servings of two slices each
5 – 6 Roma tomatoes,
(about 1 ½ cups, diced)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
8 to 10 fresh basil
leaves
2 tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic
vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
8 slices crusty French or
Italian bread
optional:
freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese
Core and quarter the
tomatoes. Remove seeds if desired. Drain in a colander for a few
minutes to remove excess juice. Place in serving bowl and add 1 of
the garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed, the olive oil, vinegar
and salt. Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Let stand at room
temperature while you prepare the bread slices.
Cut the bread on
the diagonal into ½-inch slices. Toast on both sides on the grill,
stove or under the broiler until the surface is crispy but the center
is still a bit soft. Cut the remaining clove of garlic in half and
rub across one side of each slice of toasted bread.
Just
before serving, snip the basil into pieces with kitchen shears or cut
into ribbons. Arrange bread slices on a platter and divide the
tomato mixture evenly on top. Garnish with the fresh basil. Add
grated cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
To create basil ribbons (to
“chiffonade” the basil) for garnishing the gazpacho or
bruschetta, rinse fresh basil leaves and gently pat dry. Stack the
leaves on top of each other on a cutting board. Beginning at one of
the pointy ends, roll the stack into a tight cylinder. With a sharp
knife, carefully cut the roll into thin slices.
Basil Ribbons
