Rustic Bruschetta for a Warm Summer Day
I've played around with making bruschetta with a very uniform small dice of the tomatoes and onions, and also larger more rustic cuts. Truthfully, I like both and feel there is a time and place for both. The tiny more uniform cuts, seem to suit me well in winter and served cold with pieces of sliced baguette for an appetizer. The more rustic mix is excellent on a summers day on a big slice of rustic bread warmed in a cast-iron pan in the oven.
Prior to taking cooking class, I always assumed the tomato was native to Italy since it is the star of so many Italian dishes. I was surprised to learn they originated in South America. It's believed that they were brought to Europe by the Spanish and introduced to Italy in the 1500s.
Today, that is just what I was craving during my lunch. In terms of ingredients, and tools, not a lot is needed.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Fresh tomatoes (Roma, Field, Hot House and Grape or Cherry Tomatoes all work, so select whatever seems highest quality and most ripe)
- 1/2 Small Onion (Sweet Onion is my favorite)
- 1-2 Cloves of Garlic
- 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- 1 Tbsp. High Quality Balsamic Vinegar (I enjoy ones that are flavoured, such as Fig Balsamic)
- 3-4 Sprigs of Sweet Basil Leaves
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese
- French Baguette
Instructions:
- Set the oven to 350F
- Roughly dice the tomatoes and onion and mix together in a bowl
- Puree the garlic and add to the bowl
- Add 2 Tbsp Olive Oil and 1 Tbsp Vinegar to the bowl (Tip 1: A 2 oil:1 acid ratio is fairly standard for a modern vinaigrette. A 3:1 ration used to be more common).
- Add chiffonade basil and finely shredded parmesan right before cooking (Tip 2: To chiffonade, roll some basil leaves up like a cigar for lack of a better analogy, and then slice into thin ribbons; Tip 3: Basil can brown once it's been washed and cut, so best to add this in right prior to cooking).
- Add in some salt and pepper to taste (Tip 4: Only salt after you've added the parmesan since it is salty as well. And keep in mind feta added on top will also be salty. So salt slightly less than your preference at this stage).
- Cut two large pieces of crusty french baguette or similar, and set in a cast iron pan. Top with 1/2 the bruschetta per piece of bread and sprinkle 2 Tbsp of feta on top of each bread (can also use mozzarella or omit this step if preferred).
- Bake at 350F for 6-7 minutes, and then switch to broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool.
This recipe makes a delicious lunch (or can be cut up into smaller pieces for an appetizer prior to dinner). If you have one slice prepared as above it works out to approximately 420-450 calories depending on the size and type of bread. It is also very affordable, with bread being very low cost and the mix of vegetables easily available in your garden or purchased at a local grocery store.
Photos: Rustic Bruschetta. Taken by me.Health Benefits of Tomatoes:
Tomatoes - a fruit in the nightshade family - are a real health powerhouse. They are full of fiber, vitamins (e.g., Vitamin K, folate), electrolytes (e.g., potassium), and antioxidants (e.g., lycopene), and also very hydrating when consumed. Indeed, it is the lycopene in tomatoes that gives them the orange/red colour. Among several benefits, they've been reported to help lower blood pressure (Eating More Tomatoes May Lower Blood Pressure) and may have anticancer properties because they contain a fair bit of the antioxidant, lycopene (Review of the Health Impacts of Tomatoes).
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