Bruschetta – The One The Traditional

Bruschetta is the perfect appetizer. Five minutes to prepare and the ingredients are usually on hand, stale bread, olive oil, salt (in some areas pepper) and fresh garlic. It is an expression of simplicity yet this savory munchie is perfect with before dinner drinks, wine or just to close that hole in the stomach before dinner. Today there are numerous variations of Bruschetta and it would be a sacrilege to talk about Tuscany without at least a mention to the one, the original Bruschetta.

Originally Bruschetta was intended to use the left over bread. Tuscany bread has two primary characteristics, the first it has no salt and secondly it is only water and flour so it dries out relatively quickly. The early inhabitants of Tuscany found that if they put some olive oil on the bread and toasted it on the fire the bread would come back to life. The next step was flavor, bread, in itself is a great carbohydrate but a little salt and a lot of garlic made Bruschetta not only nutrient but also savory. A meal unto itself, when you did not have an exuberance of food.

Bruschetta is so important in the culture of Tuscany that there are several fairs celebrating wine and Bruschetta. The most important is in Panicale during the third week in November and includes a museum, an all day celebration with a market and a guided tasting tour among the numerous participants in the fair. Oh, yes there is also new wine and olive oil.

Ingredients

10-12 slices of Pane Toscano
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 cloves of Garlic

Preparation

Toast the slices of bread in the oven or over the coals. Spread the olive oil, salt and pepper evenly over one side. Rub the garlic directly on the toasted bread.

After this base you can add just about anything edible.

Technorati Tags: Bruschetta Bread Appetizers Tuscany Food and Wine

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Dinner – Crostini with Basil and Tomatoes

Today the temperature has dropped below 70 degrees so my balcony basil will not last much longer. This is my adaptation for Crostini with Basil. Italian Basil grows best in Liguria, where the climate is very mild and the breeze contains salt from the sea mist. It is difficult to have the same dominating flavor from Basil grown on my balcony here in Dallas so I have modified the way I prepare the crostini to exalt the Basil and get the blend I am looking for.


Ingredients:

Tuscan or Genovese loaf Bread (that is the round bread with a thick crust) cut into slices
4 leaves of Basil for each Crostino
¼ clove of Garlic for each Crostino
2 very thinly sliced pieces of tomato for each Crostino
Olive Oil
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Preparation:

Brush Olive Oil on one side of sliced bread. Place in the toaster or under the broiler for a light brown color. Chop the Garlic very fine (this is different than in Italy which would grate the garlic on the toasted bread). Cut the Basil into thin strips, this will accentuate the flavor. Once the bread is lightly browned, place the Basil on the oiled side of the bread. Dip the tomato slices in the garlic, this will spread the garlic evenly over the tomato, and place the tomato on top of the Basil. Salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and place back in the toaster or under the broiler just long enough to warm the tomatoes. This will release the flavor of the Garlic and the Basil.

The crostini can be served immediately or within ½ hour. Serve with a Pinot Grigio or with a mixed drink. We like homemade Margaritas, Rum Sidecar, or maybe a Vodka Gran Marnier.

Tags: Bruschetta Crostini Recipes Food and Wine Travel Italy

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