4largevine-ripened tomatoesripe and at room temperature
2clovesgarlicdivided
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oildivided
5basil leaves
1teaspoonkosher salt
1dashfreshly grated black pepper
1baguette or skinny loaf of unsliced French or Italian bread
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or a grill to medium heat.
Cut the tomatoes in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the watery seeds from the tomatoes and discard. Dice the tomatoes into ½ inch pieces and place them into a mixing bowl.
Using a microplane, grate 1 clove of the fresh garlic into the diced tomatoes.
Roll up the basil leaves into a cigar shape. Slice into thin ribbons.
Add the basil to the tomatoes along with the olive oil. Season generously with salt. Gently toss together and allow to sit for about 10 minutes for the flavors to develop while the bread toasts.
Cut the bread into ½ inch slices. Place the sliced bread onto a baking sheet and then drizzle or brush each slice of bread with olive oil on each side.
Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, flipping bread over after 5 minutes. Alternatively, grill the bread for 2 minutes per side.
Remove toasted bread from the oven and rub each slice of bread with a peeled garlic clove.
Video
Notes
Tomatoes: Use the freshest, ripest tomatoes possible. And do not refrigerate your tomatoes. They have the best flavor if stored at room temperature. If you are making this outside the summer months, or when tomatoes are in season, opt to use grape or cherry tomatoes which are always bursting with flavor.Olive Oil: Look for one labeled cold-pressed and that originates from one single country. Serving for a Crowd: Because the bread will become soggy if you assemble the bruschetta more than 15-20 minutes before serving, you will want to serve the toasted bread and tomato topping separately and allow guests to assemble themselves.Storage: Tomato Bruschetta is best served within a few hours of preparation. If you happen to have leftover tomato topping, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.