Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Grilled bread rubbed with raw garlic and piled with tomatoes. Worth making only in tomato season, and unbeatable when you do.
- Time
- 15 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Steps
- 6
- Ingredients
- 7
Method
- 01
Dice the tomatoes, toss them with a good pinch of salt, and leave them in a sieve over a bowl for 10 minutes to drain. Soggy bread is the only way to ruin this.
- 02
Grill or toast the bread until it is charred at the edges and still chewy in the middle.
- 03
While each slice is hot, rub the cut side of a garlic clove firmly across the surface. The rough toast grates the garlic into the bread.
- 04
Combine the drained tomatoes with the basil, olive oil and black pepper.
- 05
Spoon generously over the toast and drizzle with a little more oil.
- 06
Serve immediately, before the bread has any chance to soften.
Cooking Tips
- Salt and drain the tomatoes for 10 minutes. Skipping this is the difference between crisp bruschetta and soggy bread.
- Rub the garlic on the bread while it is still hot, so the rough surface grates it in.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Any rustic open-crumb loaf works; sliced sandwich bread does not.
- A little red onion or a splash of balsamic are common additions.
What to Serve With It
- Assemble at the last minute and serve as a starter or with drinks.
Storage and Reheating
- Assemble to order. The tomato topping keeps a day in the fridge, but never top the bread in advance.
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