From my cookbook… Dave’s Bruschetta
When you serve this bruschetta at your next holiday gathering, everyone will be asking for the recipe!
There are over 300 recipes in my recently published cookbook, Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us (Click on the link in Note 1 to get your own copy). Even in these inflationary times, we can prepare delicious meals for our family and do so in a way that does not break the budget. And it’s all in the cookbook!
An amazing appetizer-the result of a lot of trial and error
As you will read in the recipe, Diane and I decided to create our own bruschetta recipe at home after having a very good one at a local Italian restaurant. I can’t even tell you how many times we made this, but after each time, we just knew we could do just a little bit better. Well, here it is, and it’s such a good recipe that whenever we serve it, almost everyone asks for the recipe. And, when we are invited to social gatherings, we are often asked to bring bruschetta.
For several years, the men of our church small group (if you want to call 40-50 people small!) would prepare a Valentine’s dinner for our wives. It was a special time for everyone. Guess what I was tasked to make? Yes, that’s right, bruschetta!
Like all recipes, quality ingredients are key. Perfectly ripe tomatoes, extremely fresh garlic, a very high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and high-quality goat cheese set this dish apart. Do not omit the goat cheese, and do not rush the recipe by skipping the step of rubbing the toasted baguette slices with garlic.
David Giustozzi’s Bruschetta
While my father’s family is Italian, they did not eat bruschetta (pronounced broo-sket-ta) and hence I never had it growing up. Bruschetta originated in Tuscany but has pretty much evolved and is served in all of Italy and typically made with ingredients from the local area. Many Italian restaurants in the US serve it as an appetizer.
The first time I ever had bruschetta was at a local Italian restaurant in Tulsa, Ti Amo in the early to mid 1990s. I tell you, when I took that first bite, it had to be one of the best food experiences I ever had! Now, let me say, Ti Amo’s uses GARLIC in theirs, and I mean a lot! But good, fresh garlic is one of the things that makes this dish so good. The problem is that the next morning you feel like a fire breathing dragon!
Anyway, I got busy, life goes on and I forgot about it, until I went there again. OK, so, naturally, I had to go home and figure out my own bruschetta recipe. I played with it for a little bit and got a good recipe that I liked. Diane and I got married in 2002 and we started to tweak it some more. The addition of the goat cheese was key, as was upping the garlic. The original recipe called for two cloves, but Diane said, “Use four!” so we did. Now we had the perfect recipe for bruschetta.
We make it a lot for gatherings at home and for our small church group. Everyone is always asking for it. It can get a little expensive for a group, it’s time consuming to make, but this is one recipe you really need to be making! We typically double or triple the recipe as it is a special occasion dish.
Besides as an appetizer, it makes a really good light meal with some wine and maybe some cheese, cantaloup and prosciutto. You really can’t go wrong! Remember to use the goat cheese and lots of garlic!
Eat it the same day you make it, serve the bruschetta and cheese at room temperature.
Ingredients
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced and cored ¼”
¼ cup chopped Kalamata or black olives
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for bread
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves minced garlic, plus more for the bread (Note 1)
5 to 6 oz. fresh goat cheese, warmed to room temperature
1 French Baguette, cut on the bias to ½” thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander and salt liberally. Place in the sink to allow excess water to drain.
Mix all ingredients except goat cheese and bread in a casserole or other bowl you will use for serving. Grind pepper over top. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least an hour to allow all the flavors to meld or “marry”.
Brush the bread with extra garlic that has been sliced. Brush the bread with some oil. Place in oven on broil until toasted, but not burnt.
Place toast and goat cheese, along with the tomato mixture, on serving trays. Provide a knife so diners can spread goat cheese on each baguette (Note 2) before spooning tomato mixture over top. Enjoy!
Notes
Like I said, this uses a lot of garlic. If too much garlic bothers you, feel free to cut down on the quantity.
Some diners will not like goat cheese and thus will not use it. That’s OK, everyone’s different.
Dave’s Bruschetta
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What’s in it for me?
Good eats, that’s what!
Call to Action
Show someone how much you love them by preparing a delicious meal for them. Later, enjoy the time and money you save by relishing your leftovers, either for lunch at work or dinner at home. Take comfort in knowing you are eating healthy food you prepared. All because you made a good decision to follow the recipes and tips in the cookbook I developed just for you.
Besides getting a copy of the cookbook for yourself, it makes an excellent gift for those you love and care for, especially for those with a young family who are looking to save time and money in the kitchen. And learn a few things in the process! What a great idea!
Recommended Resources
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi (Note 1).
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Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ