Bruschetta, Bruschetta

I will never forget my first encounter with bruschetta. I was having lunch at one of my favorite Italian restaurants and my husband ordered bruschetta. When I looked at the menu to see what it was I remembered thinking to myself, "Why would he order that? It seems so boring." Well to my surprise, it turned out the be one of the most flavorful experiences of my life. I was really young, about 21 years old, and it was obvious I had not been exposed to some of the finer things in food :). I was certain that this recipe was complicated, and boy was I ever wrong!

With a few simple ingredients, you can enjoy this wonderful appetizer. And if you're anything like me, it can quickly turn into a full meal :). This recipe was taken from my cookbook, Modern Vegan Cuisine. Click here to purchase your copy.

Ingredients

1 french baguette, sliced into discs

2 pints of heirloom cherry tomatoes, diced and seeded

1 tbsp plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 basil leaves rough chopped

1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt

1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

balsamic glaze for garnish *optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°

Brush bread rounds with 2 tbsp olive oil and place on a cookie sheet and toast bread until golden brown.

Remove bread from oven and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes

Spoon 1 tbsp of mixture on top of bread rounds and serve immediately

Drizzle with balsamic glaze for an extra kick