Bruschette seems to be the latest appetizer obsession in this home. We had some for Christmas Eve’s dinner, for Solal’s birthday last weekend and… about once a week, every week, for casual dinners. We love bruschette – a lot. Maybe because it reminds us of Rome. When we were still living in Europe, we used to travel to Italy at least once a year, and most of the time in Rome. You see, when I was about 13, my school took us to a trip to Rome. It was love at first sight. I literally fell in love with this city. Growing up, my obsessions were mostly Italy-related. My plan was to learn Italian and be fluent before high-school ends so I could leave and spend the rest of my life in Rome with a handsome green-eyed, dark-haired Italian husband. Well, I did learn to speak Italian and I did end up with an handsome dark-haired (french) boyfriend, but I realized studying and working in Italy wasn’t an ideal choice. Instead I visit the country as often as I can, and luckily Solal enjoys Italy as much as I do, so this is kind of our second home.
So, what was I saying? Yeah, bruschette. Every time I bite in a bruschetta I’m amazed how tasty such simple ingredients can taste when combined together. Strictly speaking, a bruschetta consists in a slice of grilled bread, rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, salt and pepper. Pretty simple, right? Yet, it’s incredibly good.
See how happy I look? This is the bruschetta+Rome effect. This pic was taken back in April 2009. Already in love with bruschette. The one on the left is a bruschetta al pomodoro (a tomato bruschetta) and the other one is a simple bruschetta aglio e olio (garlic and oil).
And just for free, it’s me again, happy with my gelato. Feel free to make fun of me. In case you’re wondering, the flavors are cinnamon, yogurt and banana (who’s surprised?). The second one is obviously not mine ahah. If you ever visit Rome, go to Giolitti, they simply have the best handcrafted gelato in town.
The recipe I’m sharing today is a bruschetta on steroids. Meaning that I obviously kept the toasted bred + garlic + olive oil base and I added chopped tomatoes and prosciutto. Solal would argue that it looks like a spanish tapas he used to eat in Burgos but I will not even respond to this offense. Bruschette are italian, period. And even if they copied it in Spain, it’s still the best and easiest appetizer! Or the best lunch. Or the best dinner. The best.
Cal: 275 - Protein: 10.72g - Fat: 8.8g - Carbs: 39g - Fiber: 2.35g - Sugar: 3.28g
WW Old Points: 6 pts - Points+: 7 pts
Ingredients
- 2 medium slices of french/italian bread (I used a sourdough bread with kalamata olives)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 ripe roma tomatoes, chopped
- 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- coarse salt (to taste)
- freshly cracked pepper (to taste)
- 2 thin slices of prosciutto, all visible fat removed
Directions
- Toast bread slices. Don't hesitate to make them crispy as they will soften with the tomatoes and olive oil.
- Arrange slices in two plates or a serving platter. Rub generously with garlic (about 1/2 clove per slice).
- Top with tomatoes, then drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Top with prosciutto and serve immediately.
Notes
Because those bruschette are made with simple ingredients, it's crucial that you choose good quality ingredients. This will make the difference between an 'ok' bruschetta and an amazing one.
If you prefer, you can also add the olive oil before topping the bread with tomatoes.
I love different versions of bruschetta. This looks delicious!
Thank you Julia
what kind of bruschetta do you usually make?
I have to pin this because I forget. While not in Italy, I have had these and they are fabulous.
Agreed, bruschetta really are fabulous!
I do the same with Pinterest, I use it as a giant visual recipe book!