***This recipe was originally published in the Desoto Times Tribune in July 2022. Re-sharing for a permanent spot on my recipes page!***

So, I’m at the tail end of a wonderful trip with my family to the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York.  My husband grew up in Rochester and spent childhood summers in the Adirondacks (as many people up here do).  Like many people in the area, he is of Italian descent, his grandfather having come across the Atlantic from Italy through Ellis Island to settle in Upstate, NY.  

Needless to say, with Italian heritage so prevalent here, you can see it all around.  The farmers market stand selling “Riggie sauce” (we’ll get to that in a coming recipe), entire sections at the grocery store dedicated to parmesan and olive oil, old houses with a pasta sauce-making kitchen in the basement. Things we don’t see in Mississippi and quite a scene for this Southern girl.

I sure do love trying Italian dishes at home, though.  Because if it gets my husband’s approval, I know I’ve done well.  And in summer, with all the fresh ingredients available, a great easy dish is Bruschetta.

Bruschetta is an “Antipasto” – meaning that it’s a first course or appetizer.  Small little bites that get your appetite going.  Of course, with something so delicious it’s hard not to eat the whole plate, but with a big family all together for a Sunday meal it’s a great one to share. I love its fresh simplicity.  A few easy ingredients become a combination that is both delectable and beautiful.  A baguette and a few garden-ripe tomatoes and some basil marinated in good-quality olive oil make a perfect bite – great to be served by itself or as a precursor to a homemade Italian meal.  

Classic Bruschetta

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Ingredients

  

• 1 large baguette loaf or 2 short ones
• 1 stick salted butter melted
• 3-4 medium to large vine-ripe tomatoes
• ¼ cup or more of good-quality olive oil
• 8-10 fresh Basil leaves chopped
• 1 4 oz. Package crumbled Feta cheese
• Balsamic vinegar to taste optional
• Salt pepper and granulated garlic

Instructions

 

• Cut the baguette into ¼ inch slices and arrange on a baking sheet.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with granulated garlic.  Bake at 400 for about 5 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Set aside.
• Core and dice tomatoes:  Cut the tomato into quarters (or more pieces depending on size).  With a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.  You’re left with just the flesh of the tomato.  Cut into very small pieces about ¼ inch wide.  In a bowl combine tomatoes, chopped basil, ¼ cup olive oil.  Mix to combine.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
• On a large serving tray, arrange toasted bread.  Top each toast with a small scoop of marinated tomatoes and sprinkle with feta crumbles.  Lightly drizzle the tops with balsamic vinegar.  If you’re not a balsamic fan, you can omit.  Or drizzle with a little bit more olive oil.  You can also serve this “deconstructed” with your marinated tomatoes, balsamic and toasts all in their own separate bowls so people can assemble their own.
• Enjoy!

Notes

As a Culinary Nutrition Instructor, I aim to make ingredient swaps that are healthy and accessible. For example, I make my own baguette with Einkorn flour.  Learning to make your own bread is a worthwhile endevour!  If you’re strictly gluten-free, you can get some very good baguette-style bread that’s GF (Udi’s or Schar brand) online or at your local health-food store).  Using vine-ripe tomatoes from your garden or from the farmer’s market takes this dish to another level!