Crispy, Crust Italian Bruschetta recipe is a classic appetizer that needs no further introduction. Today is a classy day for having some traditional Italian Bruschetta. The Sun is out bright and bold. It's almost summer. And, I have a craving to jump in a bowl of fresh tomatoes. Well, I can't really jump but I can make my taste buds do that. So, let's learn how to make easy bruschetta from scratch.
Before we begin I would want to answer some of the frequently asked questions about the traditional Bruschetta recipe.
What Kind of Bread goes best with Bruschetta?
Any kind of bread which is crispy, hard and crusty goes well with bruschetta. I prefer using a french baguette for my bruschetta. But you can also use ciabatta bread. The purpose of using a crispy, crusty bread is so that it provides a hard base for our bruschetta.
What Kind of dressing goes with a traditional Bruschetta?
Traditionally there are only four ingredients that go in a bruschetta - tomato, garlic, and basil along with some olive oil. But you can customize it. You can add some chicken or some crispy fried bacon or some goat cheese or Monterey jack cheese or Mozzarella and etc.
What can you do with a leftover bruschetta dressing?
You can do all kinds of things with your leftover bruschetta dressing. You can add them in your omelette or you can add them in your sandwich or your pizza or your veggie burger or you can even fill them in your taco shells and enjoy an Italian-Mexican dish.
Let's Make Bruschetta at home
First, let's start with our bread. I have used crispy, crusty French baguette. You can also use ciabatta bread as well.
Once we have our bread its time to dress them with olive oil and some olive oil. If you want to make a more traditional version then you can fry your garlic cloves in olive oil, let then cool down and then grate them over your bread or rub them over your bread. This is how it's done traditionally! But, I have not done that. I decided to add garlic in the next step.
Now I let my bread slices go in the oven for 12-15 minutes at about 400C until they are nice, crispy and toasty. At the halfway you can flip them over so that the other side gets crisp as well. You can easily toast your bread in a grill pan or sauce-pan with some olive oil.
By the time your breads are getting ready, let's make our dressing for our bruschetta. For the dressing, I will be using freshly chopped tomatoes (many people use baby tomatoes as well).
Over the tomatoes, we'll add some freshly chopped garlic cloves. We'll let the tomatoes get richer with the flavors of fresh garlic. You can fry the garlic until they are light brown and then add them. But, I decided to add them just like that.
When you've added the garlic, it's time to include the most popular and most fragrant ingredient - basil leaves. People crush them or chop them. But, I just add them as it is. I really like it that way.
Now, we are gonna add those two friends of cooking without whom any recipe is incomplete - Salt and Pepper.
To make it more appealing for my taste buds I have added some Mayonniase at this step. This is totally optional.
Now, it's time to bring out our bread which must have been ready. Let's get them out.
So, don't they look all crispy, buttery and ready to eat? Well, Don't eat them. 'coz we are gonna make them even tastier. Let's add our tomato, basil, and garlic dressing over our bread slices.
Lastly, I have grated some Monterey jack cheese. You can add Mozzarella cheese if you want. But, I really love Monterey jack. Well, who doesn't. Right?
Now, let's put them in the oven at 200C or 420f for 3-4 minutes and let the cheese mix with tomatoes, basil and garlic. This step is totally optional. You can have your bruschetta right away or bake them for 3 more minutes if you want. I bet you will love it.
Now your Bruschetta is ready! Finally blow your confetti and announce to the world that you have made the most delicious bruschetta at home. Jump right in. If you want you can garnish with some more basil leaves or parmesan cheese if you want.
Easy Bruschetta Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 5-6 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Loaf french baguette 1/2 inch slices
- 4 tablespoon Butter salted
- ½ Cup Tomatoes chopped (about 4 small or 2 large)
- 10 pieces Basil Leaves
- 10-12 cloves Garlic chopped
- ½ Cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Salt or as per taste
- 1 teaspoon Pepper or as per taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice your bread. Grease them with Olive oil and slather some butter over each bread slice.
- Toast them in an oven at 400F for 15 minutes or in a saucepan until crisp and crusty from both sides.
- Mix chopped tomatoes, basil leaves, and chopped garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, pepper, and Monterey jack cheese in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add this dressing over your bread slices. Grate some more cheese if you want.
- Bake at 400F for another 3-5 minutes or serve it as it is. Garnish with some basil leaves if you want.
Video
Notes
- Traditionally people would rub sauted garlic over bread and then toast them. It would make the bread more garlicky.
- You can add some balsalmic vinegar in the dressing if you want.
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