Cooking Italy: Basic Bruschetta

Like I explained earlier this week, I have joined a cooking group called "Cooking Italy." Our inaugural recipe was for a basic tomato bruschetta.

The recipe comes from Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classical Italian Cooking." And I'll be honest - when I first looked at the recipe I didn't think that I would be wow'd. (Then again, I eat macaroni and cheese with hot dogs cut up in it ... I'm not exactly gourmet.) But wow'd I was ... this recipe combined two of my favorite things (tomatoes and olive oil) and the flavors of the basil (fresh from MY plant) just popped in my mouth.

Bruschetta with Tomato

from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classical Italian Cooking

**I ended up reducing this recipe because it was just for my hubby and me. Well, mostly me.

2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
4 slices good, thick crusted bread, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, 3-4″ wide
1 fresh, ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeded, and chopped into 1/2″ cubes (**I didn't seed mine)
3-4 basil leaves , torn into small pieces - or oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

• Chop tomatoes right before you are going to grill bread.
• Grill or broil bread to golden brown.
• Smash garlic with a knife, rub on bread once it is toasted.
• Top with tomatoes, basil (or oregano), and drizzle olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately

The idea for this fabulous cooking experience is from Angela at Spinach Tiger. The rest of the folks who are participating are listed at the right side of her blog.