Heirloom Tomato Bruschette

When I was a teenager (and one of the worst kind, I confess), my father made my breakfast for me before school. He was an early riser and my mother preferred to sleep in.  I always knew when breakfast was ready because I would hear him scraping the burned parts of the toast into the sink.  Did we have an unreliable toaster in those days, I wonder?  Now I feel guilt at my lack of appreciation for his efforts but at the time I usually threw the burned toast down the garbage disposal.  Looking back, I must say - at 13 - that I was perfectly capable of making my own damn breakfast....as my father did point out to me occasionally!

Why do I mention this?  Because, properly your bruschette should be made out of bread that has been charred grilled on the fire.  Since I don't really care all that much for burned bread (that must be the childhood throw back, the taste of burned toast triggering feelings of remorse!) I just toast mine in the ubiquitous toaster oven.  But if you want to be authentic, grill it up.

Anyway, this is the last of the summer tomatoes made into something delicious and garlicky.  You can serve to everyone who is hanging around the kitchen while you are cooking the main course.  It's also an excellent way to use up yesterday's baguette which often otherwise goes rock hard and gets thrown out. If you have any teenagers lurking around, make sure they lend a hand and at least wash the dishes!

Heirloom Tomato Bruschette

Ingredients

• 1.2 inch slices of french bread, toasted or grilled

• 2 -3 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (red & yellow mix is nice)

• a few sprigs of fresh basil, leaves picked, washed, and chopped, smaller leaves reserved

• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped

• extra virgin olive oil

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 x 125g ball buffalo mozzarella, or the small marinated balls of buffalo mozzarella

• 2 clove of garlic, peeled and halved,

Put your slices of bread in the toaster oven or onto a hot griddle and toast on both sides. They need to get rather hard because they are going to soak up all the delicious tomato & olive oil mixture. Chop up the tomatoes and basil leaves and most of the mozzarella. Add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a good pinch of salt and pepper then toss everything together. Have a quick taste to make sure the seasoning is right and add more salt if needed.  As it sits, a lot of the liquid will come out of the tomatoes and make a nice juice.

When the bread is nice and toasted, rub the cut side of the garlic all over each piece. Place all the pieces on a large serving plate and spoon the tomato all over, making sure the mozzarella is evenly distributed.  Drizzle all of the olive oil/juice mixture over the bread.  Pass around to everyone who is now waiting to enjoy your perfect appetizer!

As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life 

when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you.  

~Fran Lebowitz