Equipment
Ingredients
Tomato Topping
- 500 g roma tomatoes, cored and diced
- 5 g kosher salt
- 1 garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh basil, torn or chiffonade
- 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 ml balsamic vinegar
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
The Bread
- 300 g rustic sourdough loaf, cut into 1.5cm slices
- 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic, halved
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Core and carefully dice the roma tomatoes into small, even 1cm cubes using a serrated knife.
Toss the diced tomatoes with kosher salt and place them in a colander set over a mixing bowl. Let drain for 15 minutes to remove excess liquid.
Discard the extracted tomato juice. In a clean mixing bowl, gently combine the drained tomatoes with minced garlic, fresh basil, 30ml extra-virgin olive oil, optional balsamic vinegar, and black pepper.
Slice the rustic sourdough loaf into 1.5cm thick slices on a cutting board.
Brush both sides of each bread slice lightly with the remaining 30ml of extra-virgin olive oil.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat around 200°C/400°F. Toast the oiled bread slices until crisp and golden brown with distinct char marks, about 2 minutes per side.
Immediately after removing the hot bread from the grill pan, gently rub one side of each slice with the cut side of the halved raw garlic clove.
Spoon the marinated tomato topping generously over the garlic-rubbed side of the grilled bread slices.
Serve immediately before the bread loses its crunch, garnished with extra fresh basil leaves if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Using room-temperature, in-season tomatoes is non-negotiable for this dish; never refrigerate your tomatoes before preparation as it degrades their flavor and texture.
- Salting and draining the tomatoes removes excess water, concentrating their natural sweetness and preventing the bread from becoming instantly waterlogged.
- Rubbing raw garlic on the hot, toasted bread acts like a microplane grater, melting the pungent garlic oils directly into the crumb without overwhelming the palate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 12 hours — Store the tomato mixture separately from the bread. Do not refrigerate assembled bruschetta as it will become soggy.
