What is a tomato crostini ? How about bruschetta ? Oh the confusion …!
It is very simple actually: tomato crostini are just cute, miniature versions of tomato bruschetta. Bruschetta is a grilled slice of bread rubbed with garlic and brushed with olive oil, or topped with your favorite things. It’s a rustic open-faced sandwich, one of my favorite things I grew up eating. In other words: the real garlic bread !
Burrata bruschetta , wild mushroom bruschetta , shrimp bruschetta ,tomato crostini ,you name it and I can make it ! Bruschetta is my thing you know .. I got this down !
Yesterday was one of those days when i had the house all to myself. There was half of a baguette on the kitchen counter and a small basket of organic cherry tomatoes I picked from the garden the night before. Everything I needed to treat myself to a little lunch in the backyard, some tomato crostini of course 
So I heated up my cast iron grill pan, because for some reason, it seemed really important that my crostini have beautiful grill marks. I can’t imagine them any other way, so baking is not even an option, ever. I also prefer the subtle smokiness from the grill opposed to toasting them in the oven. I set up a nice little corner for myself in the backyard, and enjoyed my crispy tomato crostini, while thinking about a nice glass of wine. What ? I don’t drink alone .
- 8 slices of a baguette ½ inch thick or 4 slices ciabatta bread 1 inch thick
- ¼ c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 c organic cherry tomatoes -yellow & red -halved or diced
- ¼ tsp sea salt + more to taste
- ½ tsp lemon juice -freshly squeezed
- 1 large garlic clove
- parmigiano reggianno for grating -optional
- 10 tiny basil leaves
- Gently toss the tomatoes with the lemon juice, 1 tbs of the olive oil and season with the sea salt. Set aside. ( you may also add a pinch of oregano if desired)
- Heat up a cast iron grill pan on med flame until hot. Grill your bread for about 3 minutes on each side or until it has nice charred grill marks. The purpose is to get it crispy on the inside but still soft on the inside.
- Rub one side of each crostini or bruschetta with the garlic clove and brush them with some of the olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Top with the tomato mixture and the basil leaves.Grate some parmigiano reggianno on top if desired.
P.S. I think you might like this crostini recipes from bonappetit.com
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