Homemade Italian Bruschetta Al Pomodoro or Tomato Bruschetta is a simple recipe that everyone loves!
This classic antipasto is so easy to make, with a few simple, fresh ingredients: good bread, tomatoes, red onion, basil, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.
Bruschetta is the best kind of food. A delicious, easy appetizer that is just perfect in its simplicity!
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What is Bruschetta?
Bruschetta is served as an antipasto (an appetizer) and uses the best quality ingredients to make something that is so simple but delicious.
In it's purest form, Bruschetta is grilled bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a little salt. The word bruschetta refers to the process of preparing and cooking the bread.
But it can be prepared with a variety of toppings, these can get quite different and complex, and many toppings in restaurants around the world or on blogs (I have a few....I am not immune) would never be seen in Italy.
This Classic Bruschetta - Bruschetta Al Pomodoro is one that is loved throughout Italy. It uses fresh tomatoes (pomodoro) as a simple yet delicious topping.
Mr 9 made this as part of his Italian homework. Check out his adorable video below! So proud of his Italian 🙂
What is the difference between Bruschetta and Bruschette?
The difference is an easy one, Bruschetta is the singular name, while Bruschette is plural.
How do you pronounce bruschetta?
Bruschetta is pronounced: BRUSKETTA (broo-skeh-ttah)
The “ch” is pronounced as “k” in Italian.
Italian Bruschetta Ingredients
The Tomatoes for Bruschetta
Which tomatoes to use - Use the freshest and ripest tomatoes you can, they will have the sweetest purest flavor. I like to use Roma tomatoes, but if the ripest you can find are cherry tomatoes, then use those.
How you cut the tomatoes is very much dependent on where you go in Italy. Some regions will serve slices of tomato, while others will serve chopped. We prefer the chopped version.
You want to chop your tomatoes into small dice. For standard tomatoes, but the end off then cut the tomato in half. Cut each half into quarters and then cut into dice. This will give you small, evenly shaped tomatoes.
The Onion for Bruschetta
In Italy the addition of raw red onion comes down to each individual family recipe and how their Nonna used to make it! We love to add just a little to our bruschetta.
There is only a small amount of onion in the recipe, and it starts to "cook" slightly when left to sit in the juice of the tomatoes, but feel free to leave the onion out if you find the taste of raw onion too strong.
The Bread for Bruschetta
You want to use a good rustic style loaf for this. Something like a Pane di Casa or a crusty artisan loaf is perfect! Day-old Ciabatta can be a great choice too.
Some of the sourdough loaves are fabulous as they are so dense they make great crispy sturdy toasts, so they hold up well to the tomato juice!
Once you have your loaf, cut it into slice about half an inch (1.25cm) thick. You can go a little thicker, but don't go thinner, or your toast won't hold the weight of the tomatoes.
Brush the bread with olive oil and then grill on both sides until golden and crispy. You can do this under the broiler (grill), on a griddle pan, or on the outside grill (BBQ). I like to use the griddle pan so I can get the lovely charr marks. They add extra flavor.
Once grilled, take you peeled clove of garlic and rub it over the crispy bread. Rub firmly enough that it releases some garlic flavor/juice, but not so hard that your rip or tear your bread.
Drizzle the bread with an excellent extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe Tips
- Unlike most fresh tomato recipes, in this Bruschetta Al Pomodoro, the tomatoes want to be cold. The warm bread and the cold topping makes so much difference!
- Use your very best extra virgin olive oil for this recipe; the difference is fantastic.
- Tear the basil into small pieces with your fingers or your nails; this will help to release the flavor. Cutting it with a knife can make it go black more quickly, tearing it helps to preserve the green color.
- If you have time, make the tomato and onion mixture in advance and let it sit in the refrigerator. This will mellow the onion flavor and allow all the other flavors to develop.
- Once the tomatoes have rested, you can drain the liquid away, although we fight over that part in our house! A leftover slice of bruschetta dipped into that juice is AMAZING!
Making Ahead
Although bruschetta doesn't want to be assembled ahead of time as the bread starts to go soggy, you can make the components a couple of hours beforehand.
Can I toast bread for bruschetta ahead of time
You sure can! Get the bread crisp (with or without char lines) ready in advance. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.
When you are ready to eat, heat in the oven for 5 minutes, then proceed with the garlic and olive oil steps.
Making the tomato topping for bruschetta ahead of time
You can make the topping for the bruschetta a couple of hours before you want to serve it. Keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready for it. Add a little extra fresh basil and then pile onto the warm breads.
Or if you are serving these at a party: Arrange the bread on a plate and leave the bowl of tomato ready for people to top the bruschetta themselves.
Bruschetta wine pairing
The question of what to drink with bruschetta is more complicated than some dishes due to our fabulous main ingredient! With fresh tomatoes, we want to avoid heavy wines, oak-aged wines, or those with lower acidity. They can overpower the fruitness of tomatoes.
So we are looking at crisp, dry wines. Whites with a little acidity or lighter reds. Or a crisp rose is fabulous here.
For white wines, I like to serve a Verdicchio, Vinho Verde or a Sauvignon Blanc. All can balance the acidity and sweetness of the tomatoes without overpowering the finished bruschette.
For red wine drinkers, look for lighter reds. A Chianti is a perfect choice, coming from the Tuscan region that brought us bruschetta. Or a less-well-known but just as delicious Barbera can hold its own with the tomatoes without overpowering their fruity sweetness. Or a fruity, smoky zinfandel balances the acidity and garlic well.
For me, in the middle of summer, a crisp, dry cold Rosé wine, with its fruity light flavor is a refreshing addition to my Bruschetta Al Pomodoro. It balances with the wine and helps to diffuse the onion and garlic. They often have a lower alcohol content making them perfect for the start of a meal.
Enjoy x
For other delicious (less traditional) bruschetta ideas try:
- Pea Bruschetta
- Strawberry and Feta Bruschetta
- Parsnip and Parmesan Bruschetta with Arugula
- Blue Cheese Bruschetta with Cherry Salsa
- Mushroom Bruschetta
For other Italian Classics try:
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Lasagna with Béchamel
- Creamy Tuscan Mushrooms
- Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi with Spinach
- Creamy Saffron Pasta
- Black Truffle Pasta
- Roasted Fennel with Parmesan and Chives
- Carne Cruda Appetizer
- Easy One Pan Italian Chicken Breasts
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Italian Bruschetta Al Pomodoro
Ingredients
For the topping
- 8 tomatoes - see note 1
- 2 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped (optional) - see note 2
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½-¾ teaspoon salt (cooking salt/kosher salt)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 10-12 basil leaves
For the bruschetta
- 1 crusty Italian loaf or baguette - see note 3
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
To serve
- extra virgin oilve oil
- salt
- fresh basil
Instructions
For the topping
- Cut tomatoes in half, then cut each half into quarters lengthways. From here chop the tomato into small ⅖" (1cm) dice.
8 tomatoes - Place the tomatoes in a non-metallic bowl.
- Add in the finely chopped onion (if using), then drizzle over the olive oil. Stir to combine.
2 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - Season the mixture with salt, oregano, and then tear in the basil leaves. Give the mixture a final good stir and set the mixture in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes but for up to 2 hours.
½-¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
12 basil leaves
For the bruschetta
- Cut the loaf into slices (around ½" (1.25cm) thick).
span class="ingredient-colour">1 crusty Italian loaf or baguette - Brush each side of bread with the oil, then either broil/grill or use a griddle pan until the bread is crispy and golden. This will take around 3-4 minutes a side.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil - Alternatively, you can bake the slices on a rack in the oven (450°F /230°C) for 6-7 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as it can go from underdone to burnt very quickly.
- While the bread is still warm, take the garlic clove and rub it over the crispy bread. Repeat with all the slices.
2 peeled garlic cloves
To serve
- Arrange your warm bread on a plate and then drizzle each slice with a little extra virgin olive oil.
- Remove your tomato topping from the fridge, taste, and add more salt if needed. Pile a spoonful of the tomato topping onto each bruschetta and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use the freshest and ripest tomatoes you can, they will have the sweetest purest flavor. I like to use Roma tomatoes.
- In Italy, the addition of raw red onion comes down to each individual family recipe and how their Nonna used to make it! There is only a small amount of onion in the recipe, and it starts to "cook" slightly when left to sit in the juice of the tomatoes, but feel free to leave the onion out if you find the taste of raw onion too strong.
- You want to use a good rustic style loaf for this. Something like a Pane di Casa or a crusty artisan loaf is perfect! Day-old Ciabatta can be a great choice too.
Some of the sourdough loaves are fabulous as they are so dense they make great crispy sturdy toasts, so they hold up well to the tomato juice!
Candida Lozoya says
Thanks for building this great article without doubts is very useful
David says
Mmmm , mmmmm good. It’s the tips (especially refrigerating the mixture to mellow out the onion) that made a big difference from my previous attempts...... thank you. Also give credit to my wife and her fresh tomatoes and basil fresh from the garden. 😀
Claire McEwen says
Oh! Bruschetta with home grown tomato and basil sounds perfect!!!!
So pleased you enjoyed the recipe and the tips 🙂
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