Classic Italian Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Bruschetta in Italian comes from “bruscare”, meaning to roast, toast, or char over coals. So, strictly speaking, bruschetta refers to the toasted/grilled bread, not the tomato mixture on top.
And yes — “Bruschetta” gets confused with “Crostini” constantly, especially in American restaurant usage.
The clean culinary distinction:
Bruschetta (pronounced broo-SKET-tah, not “broo-SHET-tah) is usually a larger, rustic slice of country bread, often sour dough, grilled or toasted, often rubbed with garlic and dressed with olive oil. The classic tomato-basil topping is common, but it is not what makes it bruschetta. The toast is the thing.
Crostini means “little crusts” or “little toasts” from the Italian word “crosta,” meaning crust, usually smaller, thinner slices, often from a baguette or narrow loaf, toasted until crisp and served as little canapé-style bites with toppings: pâté, ricotta, mushrooms, tapenade, anchovies, or the Kitchen Tapestry recipes for Cranberry & Goat Cheese Crostini and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Cheese Crostini.
So the practical difference is:
Bruschetta is rustic grilled bread, often larger and heartier. Crostini are smaller crisp toasts used as appetizer bases.
The American confusion is that “bruschetta” has come to mean diced tomato, basil, garlic, balsamic and olive oil topping. But in Italian culinary terms, that topping would be condimento or simply a tomato topping. Put it on grilled rustic bread and you have bruschetta al pomodoro. Put it on tiny toast rounds and, honestly, you’re getting into crostini with tomato topping territory.
It’s a tiny Italian-food hill worth dying on.
So, in order for this to be a classic Bruschetta al Pomodoro, use a rustic sour dough loaf of bread, Roma tomatoes (they’re heartier to chop, have less acid and seeds than typical globe tomatoes), fresh basil, fresh garlic, real balsamic vinegar and a quality extra virgin olive oil. Allow your guests to assemble it themselves to keep your bruschetta crispy.
Classic Italian Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Bruschetta in Italian comes from “bruscare”, meaning to roast, toast, or char over coals. So, strictly speaking, bruschetta refers to the toasted/grilled bread, not the tomato mixture on top.
Ingredients
- 40 oz (4 standard grocery packages) of cherry or grape tomatoes, any variety, washed and halved
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Morton's Nature's Seasons' Seasoning Blend
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 7-8 grinds freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 French baguette, cut into 1/2" - 3/4" slices
- 1 tsp cream cheese, goat cheese other spreadable cheese (like, Boursin) for each slice of bread
- Chiffonade of fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
- Mix all of the spices and seasonings with the olive oil. Blend well with a whisk.
- Lay out the tomatoes in a single layer in a Pyrex glass baking dish and drizzle the seasoned olive oil over. Toss the tomatoes with a serving spoon to ensure they are totally coated.
- Roast the tomatoes 3-1/2 hours. Stir the tomatoes with a serving spoon about once an hour during the roasting process.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool before using. You'll have about a cup.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the baguette; you should have somewhere around 20-24 slices. Drizzle olive oil on both sides of each slice. Put them on a single layer on a sheet pan or cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil for faster clean-up.
- Toast the baguette slices for 5 minutes; turn them over and toast for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the Crostinis from the oven, spread with cheese and top with a teaspoon of the tomatoes. Garnish with a few strands of fresh basil chiffonade.
