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A quick and pantry-friendly appetizer with toasted crusty bread topped with a garlicky tomato mixture flavored with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and fresh basil. Ready in about 15 minutes, perfect year-round using well-drained canned diced tomatoes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons Bionaturae Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 rustic baguette, sliced into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 (28.2-ounce/800g) can Bionaturae Diced Tomatoes, well drained
  • 1 teaspoon Bionaturae Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated (about 2g)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup (6g) packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Slice the baguette into ½-inch slices.
  2. Drain the canned diced tomatoes in a fine-mesh sieve or colander and press gently to remove excess liquid; reserve the juice if desired.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
  4. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer in the skillet and toast until golden on the bottom (about 1–2 minutes), flip and toast the other side until crisp; toast in batches as needed and transfer toasted bread to a plate.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the drained tomatoes, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, grated garlic, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper; stir and taste-adjust seasoning.
  6. Fold the thinly sliced basil into the tomato mixture just before serving.
  7. Spoon the tomato mixture onto each toasted bread slice immediately before serving and drizzle with extra olive oil if desired.

Notes

Drain tomatoes thoroughly to keep bread crisp and avoid sogginess., Use a cast-iron or heavy skillet for even browning when toasting bread., Grate or finely mince garlic for even flavor distribution., Add basil at the last moment to keep its color and aroma fresh., Optional: rub garlic clove on hot toasted bread for extra garlic flavor instead of adding more raw garlic to the tomato mix., Mix-ins such as fresh mozzarella, burrata, red onion, capers, olives, or red pepper flakes can be added to customize flavor., Fresh cherry tomatoes can be used when in season; halve and lightly drain prior to assembling., Balsamic vinegar can be substituted with red wine vinegar or lemon juice for different flavor profiles., Store leftover tomato topping in airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days; keep bread separate and re-toast before serving., The tomato mixture freezes well for about 2 months, though texture may change.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/simple-tomato-bruschetta/