Small Plates for Summer: Bruschetta

Sangria got me thinking about small plates - my favorite way to eat all summer. Preparing a variety of items is a great way to cook from your CSA delivery or market selections and gets your family trying some new things. Like last year, when we had our first taste of garlic scapes.

Bruschetta - which is pronounced with a hard K in the middle, something like Bruce-ketta and nothing like Bru-Shedda - is a favorite smackerel in the Pinch kitchen. I keep baguette slices in my freezer, which, when brushed with a bit of olive oil and baked, make lovely crostini. Kalamatas are also kept in constant supply year round, so bruschetta with Tapanade are a common enough occurrence, no matter the season. Once Roma tomatoes start looking good at the market, though, they get chopped up with for my favorite seasonal bruschetta. Here's that recipe:

Roma Tomato Bruschetta
Print recipe only here

YOU WILL NEED
Baguette, sliced diagonally
Olive Oil
Pastry brush or baster - optional but helpful tool

4 Roma tomatoes, sliced, seeds and pulpy insides removed and finely diced
1 clove garlic
1-2 T red onion
1-2 T fresh parsley or basil
2 t olive oil
1 t red wine vinegar
Pinch kosher salt

METHOD
First, make the crostini. Preheat an oven or toaster oven to 350.

Slice the baguette diagonally into 1 cm-think slices. Allow for 2-3 slices per person.

Using a pastry brush or baster, brush both sides with olive oil.

Bake about 10 minutes or until crispy and nicely browned. Turn over slices and bake other side. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, use a serrated utility knife to slice tomatoes into 1 cm-thick slices. Remove seeds and pulpy insides and finely dice. Transfer to a small mixing bowl.

Chop red onion and parsley (or basil, or both) and add to tomatoes. Use a garlic press or finely chop the garlic and add. Add olive oil, vinegar and salt and stir to combine everything. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or until ready to serve.

At point of service, top each crostini with the Romas and enjoy immediately.