While planning a snack menu for a recent get-together at our office, I decided the summer heat dictated some nice, cool appetizers.
After settling on some dips to go with crackers, I decided I wanted something summery and full of fresh garden vegetable flavors, so I began researching bruschetta. According to “The International Kitchen” website, the dish, featuring toasted rounds of bread, was introduced in ancient Rome, where laborers were fed day-old bread.
Also, for the record, the dish I made technically isn’t bruschetta, since I opted not to toast my bread (it was just so hot that day), but I’m going to say it was a win anyway, especially because it featured lots of beautiful tomatoes, fresh basil and tons of garlic.
The recipe I used is from the website “Delish” from a post by Makinze Gore. You can find the original post at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a27409128/best-bruschetta-tomato-recipe/. I added extra garlic and pepper in my version.
Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced or thinly sliced
- 4 large tomatoes diced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped thinly
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large baguette cut in one-quarter-inch slices
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute, stirring regularly, for two or three minutes until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set it aside to cool.
- Place a colander over a bowl to catch liquid, and add the diced tomatoes to the colander. Add about one-half teaspoon of salt to the tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Let the tomatoes sit for at least five minutes so that they release some of their juices.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and stir gently. Stir in the garlic and oil, and then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap.
- Let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Serve the mixture with the sliced baguette. You can lightly oil or butter the slices and set them under the broiler in your oven for a few moments to lightly toast them, or just serve them as is.
This was fresh and delicious. Don’t let the red pepper flakes scare you (although you could leave them out). They really just enhance the flavors and don’t make the dish spicy. Also, the balsamic vinegar was completely on point. Don’t skip it.
It was nice to have a cold, tasty appetizer to share with guests at our get-together. As a bonus, the leftovers lasted well in the fridge for a few days, giving us time to enjoy it even more.
Plus, it’s always nice this time of year to enjoy a delicious appetizer that doesn’t require too much added heat to create.
This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 1, 2024.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
