🍲 Bruschetta

Ingredients

Base

• 1 loaf of Italian or French bread, sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick on the bias
• ½ head garlic
• Kosher salt or sea salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Toppings of your choice (see examples below)

Toppings

• Chopped tomatoes with arugula or basil
• Cooked white beans (topped, if you like, with sautéed kale)
• Sautéed mushrooms (preferably wild varieties)
• Minced anchovies flavored with wine vinegar and herbs
• Thinly-sliced pancetta crisped under the broiler
• Pugliese-style chopped mixture of summer vegetables (red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, oregano, flat-leaf parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes)

Method

1. Toast the bread slices in a toaster oven, under a broiler, or on a grill, until they turn golden.
2. Immediately rub the bread with the cut side of the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil.
3. Serve warm topped with whatever combinations of seasonal ingredients you choose.