How to Make Italian BRUSCHETTA - Easy Appetizer

Ingredients

• 6 medium Roma Tomatoes (cored and diced, about 1/2 pound total)
• 0.33 cup Fresh Basil Leaves (loosely packed, chiffonaded into ribbons)
• 5 cloves Garlic Cloves (finely minced; 1 clove set aside for oil infusion)
• 5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (high‑quality; 3 tbsp for garlic‑infused oil, 2 tbsp for tomato mixture)
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (adds brightness to tomato mixture)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (kosher or sea salt)
• 0.25 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 baguette French Baguette (about 12‑inch long, sliced ½‑inch thick diagonally)
• 0.4 cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly shredded)
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Glaze (optional garnish; store‑bought or homemade)

Instructions

1. Core and Dice Tomatoes

   Remove the cores from the 6 medium Roma tomatoes and dice them into small pieces.

   Time: PT5M

2. Chiffonade Basil

   Stack the fresh basil leaves, roll them tightly, then slice thinly with a sharp knife to create ribbons.

   Time: PT3M

3. Mince Garlic

   Finely mince all 5 garlic cloves. Set aside the minced garlic from 1 clove for the oil infusion.

   Time: PT3M

4. Prepare Garlic‑Infused Olive Oil

   In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic from 1 clove with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Stir and set aside.

   Time: PT2M

5. Mix Tomato Topping

   In the medium mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, chiffonaded basil, the remaining minced garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir gently to blend.

   Time: PT5M

6. Marinate Tomato Mixture

   Cover the bowl and let the tomato mixture sit at room temperature for 15–30 minutes to develop flavor.

   Time: PT20M

7. Preheat Oven

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack positioned in the center.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 400°F

8. Slice Baguette

   Cut the French baguette into ½‑inch thick diagonal slices.

   Time: PT5M

9. Arrange on Baking Sheet

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the baguette slices in a single layer.

   Time: PT3M

10. Brush with Garlic‑Infused Oil

    Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of each toast slice with the garlic‑infused olive oil, using all of the oil mixture.

    Time: PT3M

11. Add Parmesan

    Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of each slice (about 1/3‑1/2 cup total).

    Time: PT2M

12. Bake

    Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 400°F

13. Broil to Finish

    Switch the oven to broil on high and broil for 1–2 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: Broil high

14. Final Garnish

    Remove from oven. Optionally drizzle each toast with a little extra virgin olive oil or a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

    Time: PT2M

15. Serve

    Arrange the toasted slices on a platter and keep the tomato topping in a separate bowl so guests can assemble their bruschetta just before eating.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

120

Protein

4 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Fat

6 g

Fiber

2 g