Niki’s Bruschetta

Buongiorno! Tutto Bene?

Bruschetta is one of my favourite dishes in the world to make and it can be fantastically delicious if you use high-quality ingredients. 

There are many different varieties of bruschetta in Italy depending on the region but the most well-known version of bruschetta is simply made with grilled slices of bread rubbed with raw garlic and topped with chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, and salt. Because there are only a few ingredients, each one is important. High-quality, fruity olive oil is best, and good rustic Tuscan/ sourdough or Italian bread makes a tasty base. Here I’m showcasing my top 4 flavours but you can really play around with the flavours and even add some added protein, too.

Ingredients:

Tomato and Basil

• 2 to 3 medium ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices of sourdough
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish
• Coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish
• A pinch of Urfa chilli flakes

Mixed Pepper

• 1 bell pepper or 5 mini peppers, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices of sourdough
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish
• A pinch of Urfa chilli flakes

Mushrooms and Thyme

• 3-4 mushrooms, chopped up and sauteed
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• A sprig of fresh oregano
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices of sourdough
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish
• A generous pinch of dried parsley and Italian herbs

Aubergine and Chilli

• 1/2 an aubergine, sliced into thin medallions and pre-grilled
• 1/2 teaspoon of Alleppo chilli flakes
• A sprig of fresh mint
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices of sourdough
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Method:

1. Gather all the ingredients for your desired bruschetta topping. 

2. Combine the chopped tomatoes and half of the olive oil in a bowl and toss. Marinate the tomatoes for about 10 minutes at room temperature. For the other three flavours you want the toppings to be ready to go and pre-grilled/sauteed.

2. Toast the bread slices on a charcoal grill until golden-brown and lightly marked with grill lines. You can also toast them in an oven or toaster, or on a griddle or grill pan, if charcoal grilling is not possible.

4. Gently rub the grilled slices of bread with the cut end of the raw garlic clove.
5. Top each slice with the marinated tomatoes (or the other three toppings), sprinkling with flaky sea salt and chopped fresh basil leaves for the tomato flavour and all the other herbs for the other bruschetta toppings. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

Extra Bonus Flavour:

If you omit the tomatoes and basil and just drizzle the garlic-rubbed toasted slices with extra-virgin olive oil, you have what is called fettunta (literally, “oily slice”)in Tuscany, or the Italian version of garlic bread!

Buon Appetito!