The simplest foods and recipes often are the best, and bruschetta is no exception.
My family and I have been enjoying traditional bruschetta in the summertime for many years now, starting when we first planted a tomato garden more than a decade ago. Even now, after giving up on growing our own tomatoes (after years of battling with our local “wildlife” and dealing with challenging weather), we enjoy bruschetta with in-season produce from the market.
If you’re new to making your own bruschetta, I suggest borrowing Joanna Gaines’ latest cookbook, Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering: Vol. 2. You’ll be surprised at how simple this delicious appetizer is to make at home.
You’ll want to start with the crostini recipe, which calls for a baguette, olive oil, salt and pepper. Just cut the baguette into 1/2-inch-thick slices, brush with oil, season with salt and pepper and toast in the oven for five minutes on each side. Or, if you haven’t put away your grill just yet this year, you can grill the bread as my husband did recently. We opted to use slices of Italian bread, halved. Then you can top your crostini with your mixture. We stuck with tradition, opting for the caprese style, using fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh basil. Gaines provides two other topping suggestions: prosciutto and brie, and steak and arugula.
Her cookbook features chapters of recipes to be enjoyed any time of day, including breakfast and brunch, soups and salads, appetizers and starters, side dishes, dinner, and desserts. Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering: Vol. 2 is available for request at Whitehall Public Library, here. It’s also available as an e-book on the Libby app and on Overdrive here.
