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Guess what I decided to do.
Post everyday for the next week. Big commitment, I know.
But it's nearing the end of summer and there are so many delicious things still to do. And make.
Awhile back, I wrote about how I cannot grow anything. But I am the farmers' market best customer. I'm happy to pay whatever it takes to get this kind of produce.
Let's call it the Summer Produce-palooza and get on with it.
Today we'll be making bruschetta, pronounced with a hard "c" - brusketta. That's the way the Italians say it.
Bruschetta is simply tomatoes on bread, but it's the sum of its parts that makes it so spectacular.
Perfectly ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and really, really good crusty bread. The type of tomato isn't all that important - Beefsteak, Sungold, Big Boy, Brandywines - whatever. This time of year they are all flavorful. It's fine to use a couple of different kinds too.
You'll need ....
1 loaf of crusty bread, like a scala or ciabatta, sliced 1/2" thick
2 lbs. of summer tomatoes, as described above. Use less if it's just for two of you, more if you need it
fresh basil, 8-10 leaves, chopped
extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Dice tomatoes into pieces approximately 1/2". ( Don't obsess over the size. This is meant to be easy not precise.) Place in a colander set on paper towels or a dishcloth. Let drain for about an hour. Shake colander over sink to drain more of the excess liquid.
Place drained tomatoes in a bowl. Mix in basil, salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle olive oil on bread slices, about 1 teaspoon on each.
You can either grill the bread slices on your outdoor grill or indoors on a grill pan. Cook until they are slightly crisp and browned. (They could also be toasted if the other two options don't work for you. )
As soon as the bread comes off the grill, rub one side of it with a cut clove of garlic.
Pile tomatoes generously on top.
Bruschetta!
See you tomorrow.
