Simple Bruschetta Recipe
Tomorrow night my husband and I are going out with some friends to the Super Summer Theater to see their production of “She Loves Me.” The really cool thing about Super Summer Theater is that it is an outside stage with a big grassy field. You get to set up your own little picnic area, bring your food and drinks and watch the show. One of my friends requested that I bring bruschetta to share with everyone. It is pretty delicious and simple to make. This is not my recipe or my tips on how to make it. I actually found it through the Green Pages that Star Nursery puts out and they got it from the blog The Gluten Free Gathering. Here is a link to the original blog post:
Bruschetta
6 cups diced tomatoes (remove liquid and seeds)
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt (or garlic salt is very good too)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Simply place all of the ingredients into a bowl (preferably non-metallic). Gently stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Loosely cover the bowl and allow it to sit out at room temperature for 2-3 hours prior to serving. Before serving, stir the bruschetta.
Here are a few key things to remember:
- Select a variety of tomatoes. This will create a more complex flavor (which is great) and the contrast of colors will create a dish that no only tastes great but looks beautiful!
- Always, always, always remove and discard the liquid/seeds from the tomatoes. This is easy to do. Simply cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon or your fingers. Skipping this step will completely ruin the bruschetta. You will be left with a watery bowl of flavorless tomatoes. No good.
- Never refrigerate your bruschetta. Tomatoes simply do not do well in the refrigerator. Make enough bruschetta for the day and finish it.
- Allow 2-3 hours for your bruschetta to sit before serving. This step is critical. Time allows for all of the flavors to marry. You will be thankful that you waited.
- Season to taste. While the recipe below is a great jumping off point, you may need to add a bit more salt or vinegar to compensate for less than flavorful tomatoes.
- Do not use dried herbs. Fresh basil is a must.