Perfectly sweet Tomatoes are perfumed with effervescent Basil, while the acidity of the Balsamic Vinegar tempers the sharpness of the Garlic in this Tomato Basil Bruschetta.

In the blink of an eye October has ferociously barreled through September, exuberantly tossing torrents of Candy Corn towards our teeth and cobwebs clinging to our cheeks for dear life. It is safe to say that after Halloween, the mass population’s blood sugar levels skyrocketed and Halloween candy is only the beginning of insanely creative desserts for the upcoming holidays. Pies, cakes, and the fancy pants cookies will be peeping their noses out of the kitchens, ready for their individual turns in the spotlight. During this season of friends and family get togethers, it is easy to be completely overwhelmed with the lavish offerings long before the end of the meal. I recall such a multitude of rich appetizers at major holidays, and my Babci always had a tremendously huge pot of New England Clam Chowder simmering on her little stove to partake in before the actual family meal.

There comes a point where you need a break from cream filled this and bacon wrapped that. Sometimes, amidst the opulent offerings at the holiday extravaganzas, I simply crave something bright, fresh, and light. Little Caprese skewers are a perfect compliment to the tried and true Meat and Cheese board, however one of my favorite starters is a cousin of those little low carb skewers. Perfectly executed Tomato Basil Bruschetta is the bold, bright contrast to richer dishes. There is just something incredibly addicting about the plump tomatoes perfumed with sweet basil, stingingly sharp garlic and tang of balsamic vinegar on a nice, crusty piece of bread.

This little appetizer is perfect to bring to any gathering, any time of year, for the ease of putting it together cannot be beat with the amount of flavor that punches your tastebuds when you bite in.

Tomatoes, of course, are best when in season during the summer months. However, this recipe is something I came up with that tastes phenomenal in whichever season it is made. Since there are so few ingredients, I urge you to obtain the freshest Basil, Garlic, and sweetest smelling Tomatoes you can find. I made this a couple weekends ago for a friend’s Pumpkin Carving party and made my husband go back to the store because he had bought a semi-dried basil. He was reluctant to go hunt down the fresh stuff at first, but then I had him smell, feel, and see the difference between the two. He then reluctantly meandered to the store, understanding completely what I meant.

To me, the bread is just as important. I use this Classic French Bread recipe, baked into 4 long, skinny loafs. Then, I cut them on a bias so that the surface area is ample for scooping all that tomato-y goodness onto. Rather than just toasting it and calling it a day, I rub the toasted little bread vehicles with a clove of raw garlic. This is a fabulous way to infuse the bread with an extra punch of flavor - in fact, his is my method for any type of Crostini/toast points/carby deliciousness I need on the side of a good dip. The added bonus of crisping and toasting the bread in the oven is that it travels very well and stays crisp all evening, so it is an excellent addition to any gathering you go to.

Literally, I could make a meal out of just this Tomato Basil Bruschetta...and I may have been guilty of this in the past! Who doesn't like a form of deconstructed pizza?

This Tomato Basil Bruschetta is incredibly simple to throw together and the best thing about it is the longer it sits, the better it tastes, making it a terrific option to make ahead the morning of or even the night before. It is vital to make sure you take the extra step to scoop out the slimy seeds and pulp before chopping the tomatoes and mixing everything to marinate because if you leave them in, the mixture macerates too much in the salt and there will end up being too much juice which potentially leads to slightly soggy tomatoes and even toast points if you drizzle too much juice on! No one likes a soggy toast point! When you transfer the toast points, I find they stay crisp best if you loosely cover them with foil, rather than transferring them in an airtight container.

One last thought on this yummy little starter - while it is traditional to include all the melty, cheesy, goodness of fondue dips and sausage stuffed mushrooms during this upcoming season, I argue that this is essentially a non-melty form of pizza - it includes tomatoes, bread, garlic, and cheese. Pizza is good ANY time of the year, and I believe this Tomato Basil Bruschetta is as well :)

My husband considers this Tomato Basil Bruschetta "Fancy Food". I consider this "Stuff on Bread". Stuff on bread is delicious :)

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Author: Iris Anna Gohn

Servings: A comfortable amount for a gathering

Preparing this takes roughly a half hour, and most of that time is just chopping and slicing. Once all the ingredients are getting to know one another in the fridge, you would be surprised at HOW well the flavors marry and taste even just an hour after ruminating.

It is the season for tons of gatherings, and this is the perfect dish to bring with you as it transports well, can sit out for hours, and is something that both Vegetarians and Carnivores are both equally drawn to. If you do not have time nor the inclination to make the French Bread at home, I'd recommend picking up a bag of those pre-crusted Crostini points in the bakery section of your grocery store.

Lastly, I'd like to mention I love garlic, so I use the full Tablespoon. If however, you want more of a hint of it, start with 2 Tsp of the minced Garlic and see how you like it. If you are an onion hater you can omit the Shallot, though I do think the amount used is more of a hint of flavor rather than a pow of onion. This recipe can be pretty flexible to suit your preferences.

Ingredients:

3 Cups small diced Tomatoes (I used Vine-Ripened, but use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes that you can find in season), seeds removed.
1 Tbsp finely minced Garlic (must be fresh)
2 Tbsp finely minced Shallot (1/2 of one small Shallot)
2 Tbsp Chiffonade cut Fresh Basil (about 7-12 leaves Basil, must be fresh)
2 heaping Tbsp Shaved Parmesan
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1/4 Tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

To Serve:

French Bread points (1 store bought loaf, or one full batch of this French Bread)
3 Garlic Cloves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

For Tomato Basil Bruschetta:

Prepare your tomatoes by washing them, then cutting them in half. Gently scoop our the seeds and gelatinous insides and discard. Once you have cleaned our the tomato seeds, chop into a small dice where each piece is around 1/4” to 1/2 “, depending on how chunky you personally prefer the Tomatoes.
To prepare the Basil, stack 4-6 Basil leaves on top of one another. Then gently tuck them into a little neat, tight roll. It will look like a little green bundle, then neatly slice the bundle into thin strips. When you “fluff” the cut basil, it will be delicate and pretty - depending on how big your basil leaves are you may need to use up to 7-12 to get the full 2 Tbsp, loosely packed.
In a large bowl, combine the diced Tomatoes, minced Garlic and Shallot, Basil, Parmesan, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, and Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste. I gently mix everything together with a spatula as to not bruise the fragile tomatoes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate in the Fridge for a minimum of 1 hour - the longer it sits, the better the flavors will mingle and develop depth.

To Prepare French Bread Toast Points:

Preheat Oven to 350 F.
Slice French Bread into about 1/2” thick slices, I cut mine on a bias as the bead I had baked was shaped long and thin, like a Baguette. If the French Bread loaf you use is one big one, you will most likely want to cut the sliced bread down the center to create more manageable toast points.
Arrange cut bread in a single layer on two baking sheets. Brush Olive Oil on both sides of the bread with either your fingers or a pastry brush.
Bake for 15 minutes, flipping bread once midway through the baking process so each side gets crisped evenly. The bread will feel crisp and dry, there may be some browning but it’s not necessary.
Once you remove the bread from the oven, quickly and carefully rub each slice on one side with a fresh garlic clove. This perfumes and flavors the bread.

To serve:

Pile desired amount of Tomato Bruschetta mixture on top of French Bread Toast Point. You may garnish with additional Parmesan and Basil if desired