Bruschetta - Real Garlic Bread

Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Knopf, 1992)

For 6 slices of bread

The amount here is for six slices of bread, which will probably disappear as fast as you serve them. I usually use bread I make from Jim Lahey’s groundbreaking recipe for No-Knead Bread.

3 or 4 plump garlic cloves
6 slices good, thick-crusted bread, ½-inch thick
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt – For this recipe I use Maldon Sea Salt
A few grindings of black pepper

Cut the garlic cloves in half, crush them with your chef’s knife, and peel them. Toast the bread to a golden brown. While the bread is still hot, rub one side of each slice with the cut side of a garlic clove. Drizzle olive oil over the garlicky side, and—if using Maldon—crush it with your fingers over each slice. Finish with a few grindings of black pepper. Serve while still warm.

The Tomato Version

All the ingredients above, plus:
6 ripe tomatoes
8 basil leaves

Wash the tomatoes and split them in half lengthwise. Remove as many seeds as you can easily with a pointy spoon or the tip of a knife. Place the halves cut-side down on a paper towel to drain the watery juices, then cut into ½-inch cubes.

Wash and dry the basil leaves, then slice them into thin strips with your kitchen shears or make a chiffonade with a knife.

After rubbing the hot grilled bread with garlic, top with some of the diced tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper, then drizzle a little olive oil over each piece.