Bruschetta (Three Ways)

How was it that only just last week I noticed there was a huge, glaring, gaping hole in the recipes posted to the blog? I was actually shocked to discover I have never shared a recipe for bruschetta. The classic Italian appetizer that has been around for centuries. In my defense, had I filled that hole at some time during the last nine years, this may be a somewhat anti-climatic post for what is 'drum roll worthy' Bruschetta. One seriously eligible for best ever status as well as one so versatile that can be made three ways. On the upside of committing such an egregious error of omission, I am here to promise the blog will never have a 2.0 version of a classic bruschetta recipe. One everyone should have in their repertoire. In other words, this is the only forever version bruschetta recipe you and I will ever need. Or rather I should say ever want. 

Because of its' simplicity, a great recipe for bruschetta heavily relies on the quality of ingredients. From vine-ripened tomatoes to a flavorful extra virgin olive oil to a great balsamic vinegar to fresh herbs, the flavors of the herb butter (used for making the crostini) and the bruschetta topping depend highly on great, fresh ingredients. Which explains in part, why some of the bruschetta you order at a restaurant doesn't always have a wow factor. But this bruschetta has all of the incredibleness, amazingness, and impressiveness a great bruschetta should have! Quite possibly you may never order bruschetta in a restaurant again. Unless of course that restaurant happens to be somewhere in Italy.

Beyond it's depth of flavor, this bruschetta is incredibly versatile. You can serve it plain, drizzled with a luscious, thick balsamic glaze or both drizzled and topped with some creamy burrata. Yes, it has three different serving options! My personal preference is having bruschetta topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a healthy spoonful of burrata. 

Traditionally the bread is rubbed with cloves of garlic, then brushed with some olive oil before getting a sprinkling of salt and pepper. For this bruschetta, the generous 1/4 inch thick slices of ciabatta are spread with a herbed compound butter. Butter, olive oil, Italian parsley, thyme, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper and white pepper combine to create the perfect elixir to add flavor to the toasted or grilled ciabatta. After all of the herbed butter ingredients are mixed together, it's slightly chilled. When ready to serve the bruschetta, the herbed butter is generously spread on the slices of ciabatta. Whether toasted in the oven or grilled, it makes for the most perfect 'ciabatta crisps'. Further enhancing the 'wow' factor of this bruschetta. The recipe below gives you more herbed compound butter than you need, but it will last for weeks in the refrigerator. Use it to make garlic bread, more bruschetta, or use to enhance the flavor of grilled vegetables. 

The closest bread to Pagnotta, the bread used in Italy to make bruschetta, is ciabatta. It's crusty and sturdy enough to hold the weight of the bruschetta topping(s). Demi-baguette ciabatta loaves cut on the diagonal to a generous 1/4" thickness) make for the perfect bruschetta 'crisps'! Trader Joe's is my go-to place for these loaves, but you might also find them at other grocery stores.

I generously slathered slices of ciabatta and toasted them in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for 9-11 minutes. 

The bruschetta topping is a kind of antipasto. This topping is made with ripe tomatoes, chopped garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, white pepper, Aleppo pepper (or red chile flakes), balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil. I used both Roma and Campari tomatoes. But you could easily use only Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or even heirloom tomatoes. Whichever tomatoes you choose, make certain they are ripe.

The tomatoes are first cut into a quarter or half inch dice then placed in a colander to drain. Give the tomatoes at least 20 minutes to drain. If you don't drain them or give them enough time to drain your topping will be too juicy. 

Once drained, the rest of the ingredients are added in (see the sequence in the recipe below). It's best to make the bruschetta topping right before you are ready to assemble the bruschetta. Any leftovers you have can be refrigerated and tossed with pasta or used to top some grilled fish.

You can serve a platter of plain bruschetta and have a bottle of balsamic glaze as well as a bowl filled with a ball of burrata available on the side. Or you can drizzle them with the balsamic glaze and have the burrata on the side. Or you can make a bruschetta platter, allowing everyone to create their own bruschetta. Do what works for you!

When I tell you the platter of bruschetta was inhaled, I am not exaggerating. Nothing makes me happier than to see food disappear! Cleaned plates and empty platters are all the signs of a great meal, a great dish. And, in this case, everyone was telling me this was a great bruschetta! I couldn't agree more. Some things are worth the wait. And this versatile bruschetta recipe is one of them. With fresh tomatoes coming into the market, now is the time to invite over some friends, open up a good bottle of wine, and serve a platter of bruschetta. 

Recipe

Bruschetta (Three Ways)

Serves 4-8

Ingredients

Herbed Butter

2 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 heaping teaspoon minced fresh garlic

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Bruschetta

1 1/2 pounds (720g) Roma tomatoes (or a combination of Roma and Campari tomatoes), cut into 1/4" and/or 1/2" pieces

1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons high quality balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chile flakes

1/2 cup (1 ounce/29g) fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade

2 small (6 ounce/176g) Ciabetta demi-baguettes, sliced on the diagonal to a generous 1/4" thickness

Balsamic Glaze

8 ounce (226g) burrata ball (one large or two small)

Directions

Herbed Butter

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter and olive oil together until smooth and creamy.

2. Stir in the parsley, thyme, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, and white pepper until well blended.

3. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Note: The herbed butter can be made a day ahead. Remove from the refrigerator at least an hour before assembling so the herbed butter compound has a spreadable consistency.

4. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). 

5. Spread each slice of ciabatta with the herbed butter compound. Place on a heavy bottomed, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the ciabatta is golden and crisp. Note: You could also toast the ciabatta on a grill.

6. Transfer the ciabatta to a cooling rack. Then start preparing the bruschetta topping.

Bruschetta

1. Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander. Let the tomatoes drain for at least 30 minutes before mixing in the other ingredients.

2. Put the diced, drained tomatoes into a medium sized bowl. First stir in the olive oil. Followed by the Kosher salt and pepper. Then mix in the garlic.

3. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, then add in the Aleppo pepper. Last, but not least, gently stir in the basil. Be careful to not over stir the mixture.

4. Heap the bruschetta topping on top of each slice of toasted or grilled ciabatta. Drizzle with a balsamic glaze. Top with a spoonful of burrata (or serve burrata on the side and let your guests do the honor).

Notes:(1) The bruschetta topping is best the day it's made. But leftovers can be used to toss with pasta or used as topping for grilled fish. (2) I like the demi-baguette Ciabatta loaves from Trader Joe's.

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (May 2022)