Michael LOVES plum tomatoes when they’re in season. Not only are they sweet and juicy, they also have less seeds than other kinds of tomatoes. We were at the market one afternoon and saw the freshest plum tomatoes ever – bright red, perfectly ripe, but still firm to the touch! I wasn’t really in the mood to have a hot meal for dinner because of this everlasting heat wave, but I didn’t want just a salad either. As a compromise, we decided to make bruschetta. Plus, we had plenty of fresh Italian basil in our herb garden!

I kept the ingredients in this recipe very simple to ensure that nothing overpowers the sweet tomatoes. You could, of course, use any kind of tomato if plum tomatoes aren’t available or to your liking. Pair these little bites with a bottle of cool, crisp white wine and you’re set!

Recipe
Yield: 2 servings (about 8 pieces)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 baguette
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 plum tomatoes
8 fresh basil leaves
1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Slice the bread according to your preference of thickness. (Anywhere between 1/2 to 1 inch would be good.) Place onto a dry, hot grill to brown, about 30 seconds each side. Remove from grill and rub with garlic.
2. Cut the tomatoes in half and gently squeeze to remove seeds. (Be careful, they can spray!) Then chop and place in a small bowl.
3. Stack basil leaves on top of one another and roll into a log. Thinly slice basil and add to the tomatoes.
4. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and gently combine with the tomatoes.
5. Scoop small amounts of mixture onto bread slices and serve.