Simple Bruschetta

Question: Could there be a dish more expressive of the explosion of summer flavors that occurs when blazing sun meets fertile earth than a simple bruschetta? (I had a college roommate whose father once lived in Italy, and she informed me that it was pronounced "broos- KET-uh". But I guess it's tomayto, tomahto.)

This week, a friend gave me a few of her amazingly sweet vine-ripened tomatoes. I knew my husband would love it if I made this Italian classic for him. We even had some fresh basil growing in our herb box which matched brilliantly with the tomatoes. The only tricky part about this simple dish is making sure it is served immediately to prevent the juices from the tomatoes making the bread soggy. I'll share the method of my bruschetta madness, but will leave out specific measurements, as the amounts are flexible.

Simple Bruschetta

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Remove the juicy seedy parts from tomatoes and finely chop. Combine in a bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, thinly sliced basil leaves, sea salt and a few grinds of pepper.
3. Cut ciabatta bread into slices and place on a cookie sheet. Toast for about 5 minutes at 450F.
4. Rub a halved clove of garlic over the top of the bread slices. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the toasts with some extra virgin olive oil.
5. Top toasts with tomato mixture just before serving.