My Ultimate Tomato Bruschetta
It’s a ubiquitous sight at many Italian restaurants—little pieces of bread topped with tomato. Sometimes good, oftentimes a bit blah. But, fact is, it’s one of my favorite things to eat when done right—and having consumed my fair share over the years I’ve decided to give things my own spin with the thought that—I want MORE. More tomato flavor, more crunchy bread, more more MORE! A touch of miso adds a back note depth of flavor and makes the tomatoes even more tomato-y. I’ve also toasted the bread in a skillet with butter and olive oil for crunchy bread, and finally I’ve finished things with a shower of lemon zest—that bright zing enlivens those tomato flavors even more. A few extra steps, but you’ll be rewarded in spades with a bite that’s summery, juicy, and lusciously crunchy all at the same time.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon miso
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 clove finely minced garlic (ideally with a microplane)
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for bread
½ cup minced basil plus more leaves for garnish (optional)
1 pound firm but ripe heirloom tomatoes, diced
4 large slices of country bread
2 tablespoons unsalted
1 lemon, zested
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together miso, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of water, garlic, salt and pepper until miso is dissolved—then whisk in olive oil. Add tomatoes and basil and gently stir to coat. Set aside.
Place bread on a sheet pan and bake for about 5-7 minutes (we are just drying out the bread a bit—the bread should have no color on it), then remove. On a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter along with a glug of olive oil and toast the bread on each side until golden brown—about 2 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary, adding more butter and olive oil to the pan as needed.
Top each slice with tomato mixture (leaving most of the liquid in the bowl), finish with lemon zest and garnish with basil leaves and serve.
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