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Tomato-Basil Bruschetta

This is a classic that everyone should know how to do well. The trick here has nothing to do with cooking and everything to do with using only seasonal ingredients. When summer tomatoes are pristine and basil is at its peak, that’s when you want to whip this baby up. By the way, it’s pronounced “broo-SKET-ta”—NOT “broo-SHETT-ta.”

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves: 6

Ingredients

4 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade (see below)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped, plus 1 whole clove
1/4 cup big fat finishing oil
1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices on the bias

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat a grill.

    Step 2

    Combine the tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt, smashed garlic, and big fat finishing oil in a large bowl, toss well, and reserve.

    Step 3

    Toast the baguette slices on the grill; when lightly charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total, remove them and rub each slice with the whole garlic clove. Top with the lovely tomato-basil mixture.

  2. note

    Step 4

    A chiffonade is a thin ribbon cut used for fresh basil, mint, and other fragile leaves that can bruise very easily, turn black, and look gross. To chiffonade, you can either cut the herbs with kitchen shears or roll up the herbs and run through them with a very sharp knife. Either way, you don’t want to crash your knife (especially a dull one!) down on top of the leaves or they’ll certainly turn black. Ick.

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