Bruschetta is a toasted bread seasoned with garlic and olive oil, often served as an appetizer. Variations include toppings such as tomatoes, vegetables, cheese, beans, and more. It is traditionally made with Tuscan bread and is used to test new olive oil harvests.
Bruschetta is toasted bread seasoned with garlic and olive oil, commonly served hot as an appetizer, snack, or side dish. The name comes from the Italian word bruscare, which means “to roast over coals”. There are many variations; adding tomatoes, other vegetables, or beans is common.
The simplest form of bruschetta starts with Tuscan bread, toasted over coals or in a toaster oven. The toasted slices are rubbed with a cut clove of garlic and then dressed with extra virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper may be added if the cook so desires. As per tradition, the bruschetta is used to test the new olive oil harvest each year.
Other variations include tomato, vegetable, and/or cheese toppings. Sometimes the bread is almost dipped in oil, but usually it is barely flavored. To make tomato bruschetta, a cook rubs toasted bread slices with a ripe cut tomato or fills the bread with a layer of chopped tomatoes seasoned with basil, salt, and pepper, then drizzles it with oil.
Bruschetta is also a means of using up bread that is starting to go stale by adding oil and seasonings to improve its flavor. Many variations use toasted or hard bread with a unique flavor. A vegetable bruschetta might incorporate mushrooms, roasted peppers, and/or olives. Cheese versions can include feta, mozzarella, parmesan, or even blue cheese.
The breads used for bruschetta vary; some recipes call for Italian, French, or baguettes. The most common breads used are two versions of the Apulian bread: piadana and crescent. However, it is traditionally made with Tuscan bread, which is a rather tasteless white bread with a crunchy crust.
Common bruschetta recipes include toppings such as white beans, Swiss chard, walnuts or pine nuts, and roasted or sweet peppers. The ingredients for a bean-topped variety include white beans, chopped plum tomatoes, Kalamata olives, olive oil, salt, and pepper. After the bread is toasted and drizzled with olive oil, it should be sprinkled with goat cheese and topped with the bean mixture.
Another version of beans includes cloves, lemon juice and walnuts. Other recipes include versions with eggplant, clams or lentils. Bruschetta recipes that could serve as starters include sausage, artichokes, or shrimp.
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