Bruschetta Pomodoro Recipe

Prepare tomatoes

Wash tomatoes and remove core. Dice roma tomatoes into roughly 1/4–1/2 inch pieces. Place diced tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl.

Finely dice the red onion into small (about 1/8–1/4 inch) pieces. Add to the bowl with tomatoes.

Mince 2 garlic cloves finely (or grate on a microplane) and add to the tomato and onion.

Stack the basil leaves, roll tightly, and slice into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Add basil to the tomato mixture.

Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the bowl. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning (add more salt, pepper, or a touch more vinegar or oil as needed). Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to meld flavors.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the baguette on a diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 12–14 slices from a standard loaf).

Arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush or drizzle both sides lightly with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 6–8 minutes, then flip slices and bake another 4–6 minutes, until golden and crisp but not overly browned. Remove from oven.

While crostini are still warm, rub the top of each slice lightly with the halved garlic clove to impart a subtle garlic flavor. Set crostini aside to cool slightly.

Stir the tomato-basil mixture once more. Spoon a generous 1–2 tablespoons of tomato topping onto each crostini just before serving to prevent sogginess. Reserve any extra topping in a covered container for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Scatter shaved pecorino and shaved parmesan over the topped crostini (about 1–2 teaspoons cheese per crostini), or arrange cheese on the platter and let guests add their own.

Drizzle a small amount (about 1 teaspoon divided) of extra-virgin olive oil over the assembled bruschetta and finish with a light crack of black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.