It's Italian Bruschette

We're still celebrating summer here at K&K Test Kitchen.  And in my opinion, bruschette is the perfect way to celebrate summer.  This simple recipe takes advantage of summer's ripe, juicy tomatoes and fragrant basil.  My basil plant has been overflowing lately, so I've been whipping up pesto left and right, but I also used plenty of basil in this bruschette.  The key to perfect bruschette is to make it a few hours in advance of serving it (if you have the will power to wait that long to eat it...), which allows the flavors to meld and intensify.

This recipe comes from my Auntie Franca, one of our "adopted" Italian relatives.  When I was little, we'd go to Auntie Franca's parents' Italian market in Calgary and eat delicious sandwiches from the deli piled with prosciutto, capicolla, salami, fresh mozzarella, and roasted red peppers.  We'd snack on the most wonderful bruschette and wash everything down with a San Pellegrino Limonata.  These memories are the reason that I love Italian food and why I would pick it over any other cuisine any day of the week.

It's Italian Bruschette

Adapted from Auntie Franca

3/4 cup good quality olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced pretty small (make sure to add the juice from the cut tomatoes)
10 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (optional for spicy bruschette)
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and let marinate at least 4 hours or overnight to enhance the flavor.

Serve on fressine (a dried Italian bread) or on thinly sliced baguette.