This tomato & basil bruschetta is THE easiest, best summer appetizer you could possibly make! And eat.
Our summer garden is pathetic this year. I had really high hopes for it, but about the time I should have been getting organised & planting things was when our little baby became a thing and I suddenly had zero energy & motivation for um…anything! Luckily I did manage to get a few tomato plants & basil plants in the polytunnel so at least we have something growing in there! And nothing says summer like tomato & basil together – especially when it’s on toasty bread! Pluuuus if you use red & yellow tomatoes it’s even prettier…look at them!
The weekend I made this, I had been banished from the house because of the paint fumes in the lounge (which is finally painted yay!), so finally by the end of the weekend I was allowed back in for long enough to throw together a quick wedding anniversary platter and some bruschetta that was supposed to be an appetizer but ended up being a lazy main course. Luckily, this tomato & basil bruschetta actually only takes 10 minutes from start to finish so is the perfect summer snack or even meal when it is too hot to cook.
Slice up a loaf of ciabatta or French bread, lightly brush both sides with olive oil and grill for 5 minutes. While that’s happening, throw together the topping – tomatoes, basil, garlic, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, crushed garlic, salt & pepper.
Take the bread out of the oven, put it all on a platter, sit outside with a cold beer (or water…) and enjoy! This is summer eating and entertaining at it’s best!
- 1 loaf ciabatta/french bread
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes about 2 big tomatoes and a handful of cherry tomatoes
- 2 TBSP chopped fresh basil 8-10 big leaves
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
- Salt & pepper
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Pre-heat the grill on the oven to 200°C. Slice the bread into pieces about 2cm thick, brush both sides with olive oil and place on a baking tray.
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Grill for 3-4 minutes on 1 side, remove from oven, turn the slices of bread over and grill for a further 2-3 minutes until toasty. Keep a close eye on the bread as it can go from a nice golden brown to burnt very quickly! Remove from the oven when toasted enough for your liking.
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In a small bowl combine the chopped tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar & garlic. Add salt & pepper to taste.
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Place the toasted bread and bruschetta topping on a platter and serve immediately.
