Tomato basil bruschetta

You know that luscious tomato and basil bruschetta you see on Italian restaurant menus? You can make it yourself in minutes, for pennies. I honestly don’t know why I don’t remember to make this more often. It’s quite simple and pairs with so many things! 

In my opinion, good bread is the key. Take a few minutes and stop by your favorite local bakery and grab a loaf. A couple of weeks ago, I brought home an enormous loaf of crusty sourdough. Since we are now only two, I sliced it and froze the remainder. That’s what I’m using today. Ciabatta would work as well. I’ve used olive bread, a sliced baguette too.

A couple of cans of fire-roasted, diced tomatoes, some good olive oil and a few herbs will have you snacking in no time. This tomato topping is great when an unexpected guest drops by or when grandkids come to visit. Kids love to make their own.

It’s great as a side dish, with soup or a dinner salad, as an appetizer or as a fun girl dinner! (Keep a couple of cans of tomatoes on hand in case you need them.)

Ingredients 

2 (14-15 oz) cans, fire roasted, diced tomatoes, drained

2-3 Tbsp good olive oil

Fresh herbs like basil, lemon thyme and rosemary, chopped

1 large garlic clove, peeled

Zest of a lemon

Sea salt and black pepper

A few slices of thickly sliced rustic bread

Olive oil for brushing bread and finishing

Method

In a small bowl, place drained tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Using a microplane, grate the garlic clove over the bowl and then lemon zest, right in. Salt and pepper to taste. Add in herbs of choice. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Brush desired amount of bread with olive oil and grill or toast. Top with tomato basil topping and drizzle with a tiny bit more oil. Sprinkle with coarse finishing salt.