The Bruschetta, today considered an appetizer, often even “gourmet”, was born out of the necessity to use stale bread.
The term, from Lazio and Abruzzo regions, derives from pane bruscato, which means toasted bread.
It consists of toasted stale bread baked or grilled, rubbed hot with garlic, and then seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Normally, tomato is also added.
There are real regional variants:
– Calabria and Basilicata are seasoned with tomato, oil, salt, pepper, and oregano;
– Puglia without oregano;
– Piedmont only with oil;
– Campania often adds cheeses, cold cuts, pâtés, and vegetables;
– Tuscany is known as “fettunta” and is simply Tuscan unsalted bread, seasoned with garlic, oil, salt, and pepper;
– Umbria is often accompanied with beans.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Grill, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, All seasons
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz stale bread (sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- 10.5 oz tomatoes
Steps
Toast the bread in the oven or on the grill. Rub each hot slice with garlic. Add salt.
Season the chopped tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano.
Distribute over each slice.
In the photos above: Piedmontese bruschetta only with oil
and Apulian without oregano.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What type of bread is Tuscan unsalted bread?
A PDO Tuscan bread completely free of salt and with a slightly sour taste in the crumb.
When is bruschetta defined as gourmet?
Gourmet bruschettas are a more sophisticated and creative version of traditional bruschettas, using high-quality ingredients.
Commercially, there is also bread labeled “for bruschetta”.
