There are few dishes that capture an Italian summer better than bruschetta. It doesn't rely on elaborate techniques or a long list of ingredients. Instead, it's a reminder of one of the guiding principles of Italian cooking: when ingredients are at their peak, the simplest recipes are often the best.
In their debut cookbook, From Italy With Amore: Seasonal Italian Recipes for Those You Love, Jessi and Alessio Pasini celebrate that philosophy with a collection of recipes organized around the seasons. The husband-and-wife duo, known online for sharing authentic Italian cooking, devote an entire recipe to seasonal bruschetta, offering a different topping for spring, summer, fall and winter.
The summer version is perhaps the most recognizable. Ripe cherry tomatoes are combined with garlic, basil, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil before being spooned onto toasted slices of rustic bread that have been rubbed with fresh garlic. The result is bright, fresh and unmistakably Italian.
Summer Bruschette Stagionali
6-8
servings15
minutes10
minutesFresh tomatoes, basil and good olive oil are all this classic Italian bruschetta needs. Reprinted with permission from The Pasinis LLC. Published by DK, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC, From Italy With Amore by Jessi and Alessio Pasini, this simple summer appetizer celebrates peak-season ingredients and authentic Italian cooking.
Ingredients
1 loaf 1 artisan bread with a strong crust and crumb, about 4-5 in. wide (no baguettes!)
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups 2 cherry tomatoes
2 2 garlic cloves
8 small 8 basil leaves, plus more for garnish
sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the bread into ½-inch slices.
- Place them on a parchmentlined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and golden.
- Remove from the oven, set aside, and allow to cool completely.
- Wash and dry the tomatoes. Chop them into small ¼-inch pieces.
- Peel the garlic cloves and mince one, setting the other aside.
- Combine the tomatoes, the minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl.
- Cover with a plate and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- When you’re ready to assemble, take the other peeled garlic clove and rub it on each bread slice.
- Roughly chop the basil and add it to the bowl of tomatoes, along with a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to
combine. - Spoon some of the tomato mixture onto each bread slice, and drizzle with a bit of the liquid in the bowl.
- Garnish with a basil leaf and serve on a platter.
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