Bruschetta recipes are made by toasting ciabatta bread with olive oil mixed with minced garlic, using unique toppings such as hummus-olive, roasted pepper-corn, and tomato-basil. These appetizers are perfect for any time of the day and must be made and eaten fresh.
While on vacation on a lovely Tuscan afternoon, I bit into one of my perennial go-to snacks. I must admit, that after tasting so many rich dishes on my trips to Italy, the zing on this humble, simple dish was one of my most memorable souvenirs from Italy. It was the bruschetta. Before I go on, I must remember to remind you that it is pronounced “brews-keh-tah” in Italian.
What is bruschetta?
Bruschetta is bread that is toasted with oil and seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. A variety of toppings can be used. These toppings can range from roasted vegetables to pesto to cheese or any other fresh ingredient. This appetizer is a versatile dish because you could try various combinations for the toasted bread. I have tried countless toppings and combinations. Here, I handpicked the three of my family’s favorite bruschetta recipes. I am sharing the ones that we have made time and again. I have also included substitutions for some of the ingredients.
Origin:
Bruschetta has a long and varied history. This simple antipasto or appetizer comes in delightfully varied combinations depending on the various regions and their respective ingredients. The bruschetta can be traced back to Imperial Rome or even to the Etruscans who sampled their freshly pressed olive oil using a slice of bread. Even the term bruschetta has its roots in the Latin verb ‘bruscare’, which roughly translates to ‘toast’, or ‘to roast over coals’, where a piece of bread was roasted or toasted with olive oil.
That said, the root of the modern avatar of bruschetta has a long and somewhat complicated history beginning with the introduction of the tomato in Italian cuisine. While many of us cannot imagine Italian cooking without tomatoes, its introduction was a consequence of the Colombian Exchange. Tomatoes were wild plants found in Central America before being cultivated by the Aztecs, who called the plant “tomatl.” Tomatoes eventually reached Italy in or around the mid-16th century and were called the “devil’s fruit” because of their red appearance and were generally distrusted. It was only during the 18th and later the 19th century that the tomato became a staple of Italian cuisine and by extension, identity and nationalism.
The Italian tricolor (red, white, and green) were deliberately incorporated into food: the Margherita pizza, the Caprese Insalata, and even the Pomodoro sauce are great examples of this. So too was the basic idea of the Pomodoro bruschetta: white bread, green basil, and bright red tomatoes. Would Italian food be complete without the requisite olive oil and garlic?
Italian regional interpretations of bruschetta:
While the basic construct of the bruschetta is quite straightforward, there are multiple regional interpretations of bruschetta:
- The Neapolitan version(s) begin with the basic construct but expand exponentially from using a pepper and cream pâté, to using freshly picked mushrooms, zucchini, or diced eggplant, and a variety of cheeses including mozzarella, and a stretched-curd cheese called ‘scamorza’.
- Puglia does it “old school” using coals to toast slices of local bread and dressing it with olive oil and tomatoes.
- In Tuscany, where I had my first bite, the bruschetta is also called the ‘fettunta’ or ‘panunto’. Here, toasted bread is rubbed with garlic and then seasoned with EVOO, salt, and pepper.
- In Piedmont, the bruschetta is a sandwich made of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and olive oil and enclosed with tomato, salt, and pepper.
Difference between bruschetta and crostino:
Now a question that comes up often: What is the difference between the bruschetta and a crostino (crostini is plural)? Traditionally, bruschetta is a larger, whole slice of rough and rustic bread such as sourdough. Crostini (crostino is Italian for little toasts), on the other hand, are generally smaller and are made from finer-textured bread, including thin slices of white baguettes. Secondly, while bruschetta is traditionally grilled over the coals or fire, crostini are baked.
To be candid, the bruschetta is a platform dish because the idea is quite simple, economical, and can be multifaceted. The bread can be stale (but not moldy). When you toast it and coat it with EVOO and garlic, top it with whatever is leftover in the produce section of your fridge, a stale piece of bread acquires a second and quite tasty life as an antipasto. This is a testimony to one’s imagination and creativity. How many dishes do you know that can do that?
What kinds of bread could be used to make bruschetta:
- We like the ciabatta bread
- Baguette is also a great option
- Sourdough tastes good too
- Breadsticks (homemade)
- Batard works too
Ingredients:
- Hummus: Readymade hummus will be fine too. I like making hummus with cooked chickpeas and salt.
- Corn: I used the kernels of yellow sweet corn and roasted them in the oven. You could also roast the corn in a pan with a little olive oil.
- Pepper : I roasted the cubed red pepper with a little olive oil in the oven. Any variety of pepper will work.
- Sesame seeds: The black sesame seeds with the skin has a different flavor profile compared the white hulled variety. Toasting the seeds for 2 minutes in a pan brings out the nutty flavor.
- Basil leaves: The basil leaves can be stacked one top of another and then rolled. Hold the roll firmly and cut into thin strips or chiffonade.
- Kosher salt: I like using kosher salt for Italian food. Please adjust the salt and pepper to your liking as I have given ball park quantities. We generally eat slightly lesser sodium, so I tend to lean towards a less salty version.
Substitutions:
- Micro broccoli greens can be substituted with any other micro greens that are available by the salad aisle.
- Hummus can be replaced with any pesto.
- Sesame seeds add a nutty flavor but you could omit them and use pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead.
- Walnut or avocado oil enhance the flavor of the toppings, but you could use olive oil instead. With years of experimentation come new combinations and methods, but good quality extra virgin olive oil tastes perfect every time.
Toast the bread:
Soft bread slices are not used in making bruschetta. The bread must be toasted to give a firm texture and platform to place the fresh toppings. As for me, I like to give the bread with the toppings a quick minute of toasting to bring everything together, although this step is not needed. The bread is usually toasted with olive oil and sometimes with roasted garlic or just fresh minced garlic. I have varied the oils and the method for the three recipes, but I toast the bread prior to putting the toppings. Toast the slices to give them a firm and crunchy exterior but not turn them into crispy shells.
How to make the 3 unique bruschetta using my recipes:
- Roasted pepper-corn bruschetta:
- Roast the chopped red pepper with a few drops of olive oil for 5 minutes at 350oF. Grind the pepper with the chopped basil leaves, salt, and olive oil to a smooth paste.
- Toast the sliced ciabatta bread with olive oil for 3 minutes in a toaster oven or bake at 350oF for 3-4 minutes.
- On each slice of bread, spread the pepper-basil mixture. Top with roasted corn kernels, mozzarella cheese, chopped shallot, and micro broccoli leaves, salt and pepper. Drizzle avocado oil on top and bake for a quick minute.
2. Hummus-olive bruschetta:
- Toast the sliced ciabatta bread with olive oil for 3 minutes in a toaster oven or bake at 350oF for 3-4 minutes.
- Grind the cooked chickpeas (or canned) with sundried tomatoes (in oil) with a tablespoon of water to a fine paste.
- Spread the hummus-sundried tomato mixture on the toasted slices of bread. Top with sliced olives (3 varieties), mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, and toasted white sesame seeds. Drizzle a teaspoon of walnut oil on top and bake again for just a minute. Serve fresh out of the oven.
3. Tomato-basil bruschetta:
- Toast the sliced ciabatta bread with olive oil mixed with minced garlic for 3 minutes in a toaster oven or bake at 350oF for 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the chopped tomato, basil chiffonade and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Allow this mixture to drain from a small colander onto a bowl for 5-10 minutes. Top the bread with the tomato-basil mixture and mozzarella cheese cubes and sprinkle black sesame seeds. Bake for a quick minute and enjoy!
1. The bread must be toasted before putting the toppings as the firm crust will hold the fresh toppings without getting soggy.
2. Ingredients must be fresh as this appetizer is mainly like a salad on top of the bread.
3. Fresh mozzarella cheese is ideal.
4. Use extra virgin olive oil that brings out the flavors of all the ingredients. Drizzle some oil on the bread before toasting.
How to serve:
Bruschetta is served with the toppings on the bread or on the side. The bread slices are toasted and served on a tray with the toppings on the side. If you are going to consume them immediately, then place the toppings on the bread and serve with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil cruet.
How long will it keep?
The bread can be pre-made or toasted ahead of time. But the toppings must be placed just before serving or they will get soggy.
How to store or can it be frozen?
The toasted bread can be frozen and then thawed to room temperature before placing the toppings. But do not freeze with the toppings.
Other Italian appetizers to try:
Unique Bruschetta Recipes
Equipment
- By hand; oven
Ingredients
For the hummus-olive bruschetta:
- 3 tbsp chickpea (garbanzo) cooked or canned
- 1 tbsp sundried tomato chopped
- 1 tbsp kalamata olive
- 1 tbsp black olive
- 1 tbsp green olive
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese cubed
- white sesame seeds toasted
- ¾ tbsp walnut oil
- 2 slices ciabatta bread
- ⅓ tsp kosher salt
- ⅕ tsp pepper powder
For the roasted pepper-corn bruschetta:
- 1 red pepper small, roasted
- 6 leaves basil
- olive oil extra virgin
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese cubed
- corn kernels roasted
- 1 shallot
- 1 box micro broccoli leaves small
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- ⅓ tsp kosher salt
- ⅕ tsp black pepper powder
For the tomato-basil bruschetta:
- 1 tomato medium
- basil chiffonade
- olive oil extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 shallot (optional) chopped
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds toasted
- ⅓ tsp kosher salt
- ⅕ tsp black pepper powder
Instructions
How to make the hummus-olive bruschetta:
- Toast the sliced ciabatta bread with walnut oil for 3 minutes in a toaster oven or bake at 350oF for 3-4 minutes.
- Grind the cooked chickpeas (canned) with sundried tomatoes (in oil) with a tablespoon of water to a fine paste.
- Spread the hummus-sundried tomato mixture on the toasted slices of bread. Top with sliced olives (3 varieties), mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, and toasted white sesame seeds. Drizzle a teaspoon of walnut oil on top and bake again for just a minute. Serve fresh out of the oven.
How to make the roasted pepper-corn bruschetta:
- Roast the chopped red pepper with a few drops of olive oil for 5 minutes at 350oF. Grind the pepper with the chopped basil leaves and olive oil to a smooth paste.
- Toast the sliced ciabatta bread with olive oil for 3 minutes in a toaster oven or bake at 350oF for 3-4 minutes.
- On each slice of bread, spread the pepper-basil mixture. Top with roasted corn kernels, mozzarella cheese, chopped shallot, and micro broccoli leaves, salt and pepper. Drizzle avocado oil on top and bake for a quick minute.
How to make the tomato-basil bruschetta:
- Toast the sliced ciabatta bread with olive oil mixed with minced garlic for 3 minutes in a toaster oven or bake at 350oF for 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the chopped tomato, basil chiffonade and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Allow this mixture to drain from a small colander onto a bowl for 5-10 minutes. Then, top the bread with this mixture and mozzarella cheese and sprinkle black sesame seeds on top. Bake for a quick minute and enjoy!
Notes
- The tomato-basil mixture must be drained of its juices prior to putting it on the toasted bread. You could use the drained juice for cooking. Otherwise, the bread will become soggy.
- Fresh ingredients are absolutely essential for the bruschetta and they must be consumed fresh. Use fresh tomatoes and not the canned ones.
Nutrition
these are truly unique flavors, love them!
Thanks, Emma!