Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 1 loaf country-style bread (sourdough, Italian, etc.), cut into thick slices
• several cloves of garlic, cut in half
• 3 medium ripe red tomatoes
• best-quality New Zealand extra-virgin olive oil
• flaky sea salt and black pepper in a mill

Method

Grill or toast the bread. While it is cooking, peel and seed the tomatoes, chop them coarsely, and season with a little salt and a few turns of black pepper. Rub one side of each slice of bread with a piece of garlic and place the bread on a large platter. Drizzle each slice of bread with a generous tablespoon of olive oil and top with a large spoonful of the chopped tomatoes. Slice several leaves of basil into very thin strips and sprinkle them on the bruschetta and serve immediately.

Variations

Anchovy: Drape each slice of finished bruschetta with an anchovy filet Mozzarella:While toasting or grilling the bread, top each piece (after turning once) with a thin slice of fresh mozzarella.
Red Onions: Add 1 small red onion, minced, to the tomatoes. Top with finely chopped Italian parsley.