MMmmBruschetta...Tastes Like Springtime

Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Mozzarella
Wooden log serving plank optional. Springtime is a good time, I liken the departure of winter to that of the ex-college roomate who has been on the couch WAY too long...with mucho gusto, baby. Fire up the grill and grab the beer that I hid in the vegetable drawer. Springtime is also a very good
food time imho, and food can truly capture the celebration of the season. My menu is usually inspired by the people of the Romance cultures, who had this celebration of spring thing down to a party/artform LONG ago (Google Spring-Renaissance-Art sometime...everybody's
nekkid! If that's not celebrating, I don't know what is). I digress. Sorry, it happens. The Italians celebrated spring with lots of good food and drink, which is the very best way to celebrate anything, naked or not. One of my favorite Italian recipes is really simple and really good. 'Bruschetta' comes from the Italian word
bruscare...which means "to roast over coals", if you're ever on Jeopardy. The original recipe was basically just garlic-rubbed toast, but I'm guessing that adding tomatoes was a logical next step for the Italians...Ditto the Mozzarella. You, regardless of ancestry, can put whatever toppings on it you want (like pizza, capisce?). You can use any kind of tomatoes, mix and match, and you can get equally creative with the cheese. This is one of those simple recipes with just a few ingredients, so try to use better-quality groceries if you have the means. I like to mix soft mozzarella and a little feta, then top it with pureed sundried tomatoes and rough-chopped Romas...mmmmmmmmmm. This recipe begs for a good Italian wine, a logical pairing might be a nicely chilled Pinot Grigio. I like a good Sangiovese with this plate, maybe a nice Spanish Rioja if you're feeling kinda dirty.
Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella 1 pound fresh tomatoes (any kind, any combination), drained and diced to taste (some like it pureed into baby food, I like it with a bit more texture) 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, washed, very gently dried, and finely chopped. Leave a couple whole for garnish (get it?
Leave some for garnish? Get it?) 4 cloves garlic (depending on taste, I use 6 or 7). 2 fine diced and 2 cut in half Extra virgin olive oil (you'll taste it, so use good oil) A French Baguette (On an Italian recipe, no less [Insert historically ironic remark here]) Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. 12 oz. good Mozzarella (or other) cheese(s), sliced thin Set oven to 375 degrees F. 1. In a non-reactive bowl (NOT steel), mix together the tomatoes, basil, olive oil and minced garlic. You can give this mixture another run through the chop, or even through the food processor, whatever's clever. Season it to taste. I usually warm up the minced garlic in the oil first (don't burn it, don't even let it get hot). This flavors the oil and gets the party started in the garlic. 2. Put bread on a baking sheet and toast the cut side. You can do this on the grill, too. 3. While it's hot (do this fast, I do it a couple pieces at a time), rub the toasted side of the bread with the cut side of a garlic clove (or vice-versa). The hot bread will absorb the essence of the garlic. This will smell (and taste) really good, which is why many Italians stop at this point and eat the bread. Try to resist (or don't, it's your bread dude). 4. Take your olive oil and drizzle some over the top. Now you will be truly tempted to eat some. Do. Try really hard to save some for later. 5. Cover the toasted side with cheese, and pop it back into the oven for about a minute (depending on the cheese, you want it to soften but not brown). 6. Cut into slices about an inch thick (on the bias if you're cool). 7. Heap a spoonful of the tomato-basil mixture onto the bread, and ENJOY. Repeat as necessary. Wish that you hadn't grubbed down so much in step #'s 3 & 4. You can use pretty much anything for this recipe. I once went to a bruschetta party (it wasn't quite as lame as it sounds), and some of the partygoers had produced bruschetta that was downright blasphemous (try watermelon mango mint bruschetta sometime), and some that were actually quite nice (think Bleu Cheese with roasted pear). Just not today. Today is for Springtime in Italy (and the possibility of nakedness). Enjoy!