Better Bruschetta

Tomatoes have got to be my favorite food EVER. I routinely buy cherry tomatoes to bring to work for snacks, and if I can get away with adding Roma tomatoes to a recipe, you better believe I'm doing it. Tomatoes are chock-full of antioxidants, and are delicious raw or cooked down. My boyfriend does not share my affinity for this magical fruit vegetable, so I was thrilled when I learned that he likes bruschetta. Odd, because this is tomato-adorned crostini, but I'll take it!

This is such an easy little snack or appetizer that can really be thrown together in a few different ways:

I typically take 2-3 Roma tomatoes, 1 Tbs of chopped garlic (most will want to use less), a pinch of salt, 1/8 tsp of black pepper, 1 Tbs Italian seasonings, 1/4 of a medium onion, chopped (yellow or red), and a splash of balsamic vinegar, and sauté them over medium heat until everything is fragrant and hot.

In a pinch, I've also been known to use canned diced tomatoes if I don't have any fresh on hand; or a few green onions instead of a red onion; and dried herbs if I haven't made it to the store for fresh. It may not be authentic, but it tastes great, and I get to serve up some Italian (ish) goodness!

I'd like to say I sauté the onions and garlic in EVOO before adding everything else, but I'm not always that patient! While my toppings are simmering, I toast thick-sliced French bread in the oven until warm and light tan in color. You want the bread to have a crunch, but also be soft to the chew.

Place the toasted bread on a serving platter, and top with heaping spoonfuls of your tomato mixture. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and fresh basil or parsley. Yum!!