Bruschetta (Tomato & Garlic Toast)

Ingredients

• Baguette (or ciabatta) · cut on the bias, 1.5cm thick8 slices
• Ripe tomatoes · seeded and finely diced3
• Garlic · 1 to rub on the bread, 1 minced2 cloves
• Basil · thinly sliced8 leaves
• Extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
• Salt1 to taste
• Black pepper1 to taste
• Balsamic vinegar · optional1 tsp

Steps

1. Halve the tomatoes, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and finely dice. Toss in a bowl with the minced garlic, basil, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let sit about 10 minutes to mingle.

   ⏲ 10 min

2. Slice the baguette on the bias into 1.5cm-thick pieces.

   ⏲ 1 min

3. Toast in a dry pan, on a grill, or in a 200°C oven until both sides are golden and crisp.

   ⏲ 4 min

4. While the toasts are still warm, rub the cut side of a raw garlic clove lightly over the surface for aroma.

   ⏲ 1 min

5. Spoon the tomato topping onto the toasts, adding a little of the pooled juices.

   ⏲ 1 min

6. Drizzle with olive oil, add a few drops of balsamic if you like, and serve right away (before the bread goes soggy).

Tips & Variations

The basics behind this dish

• Knife Skills: Grip, Cuts, and Why Size MattersHow you hold the knife matters more than how fast you cut. The pinch grip, the claw hand, and why uniform size is a cooking decision rather than a cosmetic one.
• Salt: When You Add It Matters More Than How MuchThe same amount of salt either draws water out or seasons all the way through, depending on when it goes in. Osmosis, seasoning in layers, and why salt types are not interchangeable by volume.
• Heat Control: Preheating, Oil, and Reading the PanThe same ingredients become a different dish depending on pan temperature. When to add the oil, how to read heat by sound, and which dishes want low heat instead.