Classic Bruschetta

Nothing screams summer quite like bruschetta. Be sure to rub the toasted bread with garlic for a kick of flavor. Top them with simple marinated tomatoes for the ultimate summer snack. Let’s cover a few things before you set out to try this recipe.

What Kind of Tomatoes?

Juicy ones, yes. Even drier ones like roma are perfect. In fact, drying tomatoes a bit is key for bruschetta. What do we mean by drying, and why is it better? The key is to keep the toast like toast should be: Dry. When you use juicy tomatoes, you will no doubt get a powerful (and delicious) tomato result. But if the tomatoes are too wet, the toast will be soggy. The trick: Salt your tomatoes. After they have been diced, add them to a large strainer or colander over a bowl, and toss with some salt. Let sit 5 minutes. See what happens? Lots of liquid at the bottom of your bowl. While we hate throwing things away, that tomato juice is going to be (too?) salty to use for anything else.

Oh, and what’s also great about the salting trick is that it drastically improves the quality of out-of-season tomatoes.

Anchors Away

If you prefer to keep your tomato mixture from sliding off the toasted bread, consider a schmear before you top them with the mixture: Think pureed white beans or whipped ricotta from one of our favorite recipes. 

Looking for more fun toast appetizers? Slice and toast off a few more baguettes and top them with all sorts of things for a perfect crostini spread. Finally, if you elect to tone down the carbs, there’s always this one for you.