Bruschetta is a quick and easy lunch, yet has bags of flavour. It's also really versatile, and can be topped with a wide range of delicious toppings.
Here I've stuck to a traditional tomato topping, but have also included delicious roasted peppers (cooked until the skins blacken to provide a real depth of flavour).
I recently found some Italian toasting bread called Pane Pugliese in my local supermarket, which is ideal for making bruschetta, but any white loaf will do.
As this dish has only a few ingredients, it's worth buying good quality tomatoes, as it really does make a difference. Getting them out of the fridge to come up to room temperature before you use them, will also really let their flavour shine through.
Serves 4
4 large slices of bread (Italian toasting bread if available)
2 red or yellow peppers
1-2 ripe tomatoes per person
2 cloves of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Handful of basil leaves
Seasoning
- Take the tomatoes out of the fridge.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
- Line a baking tray with baking/parchment paper.
- Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and then lay them on the tray, skin side up.
- Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the skins have blackened.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes, then remove the skin (it should pull off easily).
- Slice the peppers into 1-2 cm strips.
- Slice or dice the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season.
- Slice the bread to about 1cm thick.
- Heat a griddle pan and toast the bread until you have golden lines on each side.
- Cut the garlic cloves in half and rub it over the toast.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Top with the tomatoes, peppers and basil and a further drizzle of oil and balsamic vinegar.
