Bruschetta con pomodoro e basilico

Tuscany
Preparation - Easy

When you take your olives to the local mill for pressing, make sure to take some country bread. There will be a small fire burning (it is November or December) in the fireplace in the corner of the pressing room, and when your oil emerges from the press, you will want to toast a bit of the bread on the fire to taste your oil on it.

This is bruschetta in its simplest, and to he or she who tended the olives, tastiest form.

The next step in bruschetta country is rubbing the toasted bread with garlic, before or after sprinkling on the olive oil, and adding a pinch of salt (see the previous recipe). The recipe here is more elaborate.

• Italian or French bread, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• fresh, ripe, firm tomato, washed and coarsely chopped
• fresh basil leaves, whole or shredded
• olive oil, extra virgin, the best
• garlic, peeled, whole (optional)
• salt to taste

 Grill or toast bread. Charcoal is great!

Place sliced bread under the broiler, in the toaster or best yet over a charcoal grill and toast.

Rub toast with a clove of garlic or not, depending on taste.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Spoon chopped tomato onto bread.

Scatter some basil. Alternatively, place the tomatoes, basil, garlic (chopped fine), olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix.

Set bowl at table alongside the toasted bread and simply spoon on mixture.

Some prefer to use sliced rather than chopped tomato.
Whatever way you serve it, it is delicious.