Monday, July 9, 2012

Keeping it Simple


One of the simplest and most delicious summer foods is Bruschetta.  This hors d'oeuvre couldn't be easier.  The Italians invented this brilliant solution for easy summer entertaining.  The ingredients are so simple. Tomatoes, bread, basil, olive oil, and garlic.  The earthiest ingredients.  Bread that gets grilled on the barbecue topped with anything that looks good at the Farmer's Market.  The possibilities are endless!  With a glass of chilled rose or sauvignon blanc it is the perfect food to enjoy on a warm summer night.


The inspiration for my bruschetta making was this article in Martha Stewart magazine (February, 2012) about small plates.  The bruschettas, tartines, and crostinis that were featured looked so earthy and simple and so tantalizingly good.  The concept was keeping the dishes simple but beautiful by using the very best ingredients you can find.  


And so I pulled together the ingredients for simple bruschetta, using the very best items I could find.  Heirloom tomatoes are now available at Whole Foods and they are so good!  I threw in some garlic, salt and pepper, a great loaf of bread and my favorite olive oil.


A big bunch of basil completed the ingredients


We grilled the bread and discovered that crunchy, smoky, grilled bread is delicious all by itself.  When it came off the grill and was still warm, I rubbed it with garlic and drizzled on olive oil.  For the topping, I chopped the tomatoes and mixed them with garlic, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.  


  Grilled country bread that tasted slightly charred topped with the fragrant tomato mixture was delicious.  On a warm evening outside on the patio, it was a perfect appetizer with a chilled glass of wine. 


Small plates and simple foods using the best ingredients make great summer meals.
Buon appetito!


15 comments:

  1. Mmm delicious. Perfect combination of food, wine & good weather.

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  2. Bruschetta is a favorite. You really could not ask for a better combination of flavors.

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  3. I never thought of grilling the bread- yummy! Thanks

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  4. Looks delicious! I haven't made bruschetta yet this summer, but I'm going to look for the ingredients at the farmer's market tomorrow.

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  5. I've still got a couple of hours until lunch and your post is making my tummy rumble! I love bruschetta and I'm hoping to get my hands on some heirloom tomatoes.

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  6. There is truly nothing more addictive than this type of bruschetta. My tomato harvest is just about over, and now I know what I am going to do with the final few tomatoes :) Thanks for inspiring me- and also making me drool ;)

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  7. This looks perfectly delicious! Your photos are gorgeous - so colorful they make the bruschetta look extra appetizing.

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  8. you must have read my mind. A friend of mine just posted a picture of bruschetta - and I have been thinking of it ever since. Curious what bread you use? I have never quite been sure. In Tuscany, they use an unsalted tuscan bread (what they call the cheap, "poor" unsalted bread) which I don't think you can find here. The bread in the picture looks like a pugliese or country bread? On the menu for the weekend! thank you for the inspiration!

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    1. Hi Monique, I bought an organic country style sourdough loaf from Whole Foods. It was perfect. Not sure it was authentically Italian, but it worked really well. Hope you get a chance to make bruschetta over the weekend!

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    2. thanks - I hope my bruschetta will turn out the way yours did. I'll add that I'm on a global mission to kindly remind the world it's pronounced Brus - K -etta, not Bru-sh-etta (although I'm sure with your Italian roots you know this)! I thought this post would be a good place to add this note on pronunciation if there is a question about it - it is such a silly pet peeve of mine but I think I'll scream if I hear another waiter mispronounce this delicious appetizer! :)

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  9. Looks so delicious. Unfortunately, David is gluten intolerant, but maybe I can find a good gluten free bread and surprise him with this. I love that same olive oil by the way - my favorite.

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  10. You've inspired me to make Bruschetta, I think my daughters would like it. So nice to visit your sunny blog from the rainy UK!

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  11. Oh these Bruschettas looks so great! Especially with a cold glass of good white wine.

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  12. Perfect! I need an appetizer for book club this evening and remembered this post. I even have all the ingredients handy. I've been enjoying your blog so much and really need to sit down, relax and ready some of your wonderful sounding suggestions.

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