Description
A simple and fresh appetizer, Summer Tomato Bruschetta brings lively flavors of tomato and basil to crunchy, well-buttered slices of toasted baguette.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 big vine ripe summer tomato
- 8–12 big basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh baguettes
- Butter, softened OR additional olive oil for brushing
- Fresh mozzarella, optional
Instructions
- Place a dark cookie sheet in a 400 F. degree oven.
- While the oven is heating, finely dice tomato and chop basil. Combine in a small bowl. Add a good swirl of olive oil (1-2 tablespoons), some balsamic vinegar (2-3 tablespoons), and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Slice baguettes to 1/4 inch thick slices, and butter one side or brush it with olive oil.
- Place bread, butter side DOWN, on the hot cookie sheet, and place back in the hot oven until lightly toasted, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Pull out of the oven, and if you are going to add the fresh mozzarella, turn the baguettes over, place sliced cheese on each slice, and return to oven until cheese gets melted. If you aren’t doing cheese, take out the toast. Let it cool slightly, and then top it with the tomato mixture.
- Dip extra bread in the juice puddled in the bottom of the bowl.
Notes
- If you’d like to make the little toasts into garlic bread before serving (a delicious option!), peel a clove of garlic. Rub the fresh garlic on the crusty side of each toast before serving. So easy and so much flavor.
- If you want to make this as an appetizer, be sure to not add the tomato mixture to the toast pieces until just before serving, as it will make the toasts soggy quickly.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: appetizer, side
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American