Fresh Bruschetta

Color equals nutrients… phytonutrients to be exact.

What makes the Tomato so Special

The tomato is a nutritious fruit that is fortified with health-promoting phytonutrients, which are beneficial in preventing important chronic degenerative disorders. The tomato is a good source of lycopene, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin A to name a few.  Tomatoes have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce cancer, cardiovascular disease, aging, and other degenerative diseases. 

Cook like the Italian Cooks

My friend, Ginger, and I use to always meet at our favorite Italian place for a glass of wine (or two) and share the bruschetta.

I love the way this authentic Italian restaurant served it... thinly sliced Italian bread… toasted with fresh melted mozzarella cheese... topped with the tomatoes and fresh basil.  The whole thing was drizzled with sea salt and quality balsamic and olive oil. 

Now, I make it at home now all the time.  There's really no measuring necessary… just toss everything together by taste.

1 —

Tomatoes

I like to use the heirloom cherry tomatoes for their color and flavor.  I first slice them in half and scoop the seeds out with my finger.  Then, I dice the meat.  But, with that being said, any good tomato will do.

2 —

Balsamic vinegar

Make sure you always have a good balsamic vinegar on hand.  It can be pricey, but a good quality vinegar will make or break this recipe.  I typically don’t spend less than $15 on a bottle.  If you scan the shelf at a good market, you will see that the prices can skyrocket from there.  But, do yourself a favor… don’t use the cheap stuff on your salads. I buy Monari Federzoni Reserve Aged Balsamic on Amazon.com

3 —

Olive oil

An important take away from this is that you should always invest in a good quality olive oil too.  It’s ok to use the less expensive EVOO to cook with, but buy a small bottle of the good stuff for drizzling on salads.  I say small bottle because you don’t want it to sit on the shelf too long and go rancid.

4 —

Fresh mozzarella

Fresh is molto importante! Buy fresh whenever possible. It makes a difference.

5 —

Fresh basil

Don’t even think about using dried basil. Fresh basil makes or breaks this recipe. I have a basil plant growing in my window at all times.

6 —

Fresh bread

Finally, the bread.  Fresh is best.  Look for bread from local bakeries. The mass produced stuff that sits on the shelves has been stripped and fortified so it is far from natural. You want the kind of bread that will go moldy in a few days. Otherwise, what kind of preservatives are in there?

7 —

Conclusion: Quality of ingredients is the key

Buy fresh ingredients and mix them together and you cannot go wrong.  Good luck.  Try it and let me know what you think.