Repeat after me: brew-SKEH-tuh. Bruschetta! One thing that was much debated amongst my family on our first trip to Italy was the pronunciation of this word for toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with tomatoes tossed in olive oil. I now know that the proper pronunciation involves a hard “c” sound; though for most Americans this can be a difficult adjustment since we call it “brew-SHET-ta” stateside.
Pronunciation aside this classic Italian antipasto (appetizer), is delicious no matter what language you eat it in! Bruschetta is my favorite Italian starter. It’s so simple, and yet there’s something almost transcendent about the combination of tomatoes and olive oil – it’s a match made in heaven.
Here’s my go-to bruschetta recipe, which my Italian roommate taught me on my first night living in Rome.
Ingredients
- 1 baguette Italian bread, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- Handful of ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Start by dicing your tomatoes. You can do a rough or a fine chop, depending on preference. In a small bowl, toss diced cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium skillet, swirling around to coat the bottom. Place bread in skillet, flipping to make sure both sides are coated in oil. As the bread toasts, rub each side with garlic clove, rubbing vigorously for strong flavor and gently for milder flavor.
Heat until bread is golden brown and beginning to darken on both sides. Remove from heat and give it another rub with garlic, if desired. Spoon tomato mixture over toasted bread and enjoy!