Bruschetta: the appetizer to taste Italy

The simplicity in the kitchen always wins and the bruschetta is one of those simple dishes that are also rich in flavor and authenticity. A delicious appetizer, a poor dish that is a must in restaurants throughout Italy.

The bruschetta was born as a hymn of the Tricolor, the Italian flag, thanks to the colours of the three main elements of it: the green of the basil, the “white” of the bread and the red of the tomatoes. Just a few minutes to pamper the palate with a healthy dish. It is in fact a slice of toasted bread, or bruscata, enriched with oil, salt and cherry tomatoes. The base is rubbed with garlic.

Over the time this appetizer was enriched thanks to the imagination of anyone who wanted to enrich it according to their own taste. Olives (better if taggiasche), tuna or even anchovies have been added; there are those who completely twisted it with recipes with particular tastes like robiola and roasted peaches with balsamic vinegar. How many recipes can be made on a slice of toasted bread!

But let’s see the origins together …

Bruschetta: a bit of history

The term bruschetta probably derives from brusca, that is the brush for cleaning horses and oxen from excess fur. There are those who derive the name from the verb bruscare, for the note toast, to burn, to cook.

The true origins of bruschetta are lost in the mists of time. In fact, there is no clear information. Many scholars place the origin of this dish between Tuscany and Lazio. It is very probable that one of the first bruschetta prototypes was prepared by a “farmer”, a peasant from the ancient Republic of Rome, to taste the goodness of the oil produced by himself. After all, oil is essential in the preparation of bruschetta and the ancient Etruscans were the first who used it, extracting it from the pressing of the olives cultivated by them. But it became a real food and dish thanks to the ancient Romans.

Depending on the Italian regions it is called differently: in Tuscany it is called fettunta, a slice of silly bread (that is, without salt) oiled and enriched with tomatoes, experiments, creativity and different flavors; in Piedmont it is called soma d’aj, a name deriving from donkeys (soma) and garlic; in Calabria it is called fedda ruscia, meaning toasted slice.

Bruschetta: the recipe

Ingredients

4 slices of homemade bread

Olive oil

1 clove of garlic

Tomatoes

Salt and pepper

Preparing time 10 min

Serves 4

Directions

Cut the slices of bread into rectangles (three or four pieces per slice) and toast them on the grill. At this point, rub them with a peeled clove of garlic; add oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once this is done, you can taste the bruschetta immediately, hot and crisp, enriching it with pieces of tomato, oregano and minced garlic.

Enjoy your bruschetta!