I was hesitating if to post this recipe due to it’s simplicity, but then I remembered that sometimes, the simplest, most basic of recipes are the hardest to find out there in the World Wide Web. No fancy duck confit here folks. Bruschetta is a great way to use up leftover bread and look sophisticated all at the same time.

I added olives, lemon zest and green onions to my Bruschetta mix because I am a flavor freak and cannot pass on the opportunity to crank it up. If you are a purist, please ignore my additions improvements and proceed to top your bruschettas with nothing but plain ol’tomatoes.

This mix is enough to top about a half of a stale loaf. I sliced mine into thin half slices, then toasted them, then topped them. They disappeared so quickly that my poor husband (aka grill master) didn’t have a chance to pop one in his mouth. But don’t feel too sorry for him, rest assured that he and that plateful of Caribou and Moose meat he was munching grilling, enjoyed their close proximity to the maximum.

Try and use your best ingredients here. The taste of this dish rises and falls on their quality. So dig out your best kalamata olives, your expensive olive oil and use fresh garlic and ground black pepper. It will be worth it once these will explode in your mouth.

Simple and flavorful Bruschetta

Ingredients:

4 ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup good black olives, like kalamata, pitted and halved
1/2 cup good green olives, pitted and halved
3 green onions, finely chopped,white part removed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
about 1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dry italian herb mix (substitute oregano if you don’t have any on hand)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preparations:

1. Slice tomatoes in thick slices, discard of the tough core and remove some of the wet seeds (don’t work too hard, I’m all against working too hard). Proceed to dice the tomato slices in small pretty cubes.

2. In a bowl, mix tomato cubes with the rest of the ingredients, cover and let rest for at least an hour, to let the flavors combine.

3. Meanwhile, slice your bread (this recipe will be enough for approximately 1 baguette or half of a round loaf), brush with olive oil and toast in a 375F (190C) oven or even on the grill until golden and crunchy (about 10 minutes).

4. If you have anymore fresh garlic lying around, chop the tip of one clove and rub your hot bread slices with it. Faint from the amazing smell. Get up from the floor (aren’t you glad you cleaned your kitchen?) and top the little toasts with your bruschetta mix.

5. Pass the tray around and watch them disappear. The end.