Oiled Slice
I'm going to be away for the Memorial Day weekend, so I'm not likely going to be able to post a blog entry. I thought, thererfore, it would be a good idea to resurrect one of the posts from my original blog from the Memorial Day weekend of 2004.
It hardly seems that I've been doing this sort of thing for more than a year, but as I reviewed my archives, I discovered that my anniversary came and went a couple of months ago without me noticing. Nevertheless, I hope you find this re-post timely, and if the weather in your part of the world permits, that you'll enjoy a meal cooked on a grill.
It's terrific as is; good Tuscan bread, grilled, rubbed with garlic, then drizzled with Extra-virgin olive oil. But it's versatile enough to accommodate a profusion of toppings too.
Bruschetta (broos-KETT-ah) is known throughout Tuscany as fett'unta; 'oiled slice' in Tuscan dialect. This has always confused me. If Florentine Italian has been the Lingua Franca since the unification, why would Tuscans, of all Italians, continue to speak in dialect? Perhaps the folks outside of Florence—and maybe Siena—still haven't gotten the memo. No matter though, bruschetta, fett'unta; it's good stuff.
I like to serve bruschetta when I'm planning to grill supper anyway. That way, when the fire is nearly ready for the main course, I can toss a few slices of good crusty bread on the grill, and pass them around just before I put the meat on.
My local greengrocer always seems to have great plum tomatoes in stock for one of my favorite toppings: a salad of arugula, plum tomatoes, and shallots. And if I happen to have some roasted garlic on hand, I feel that I'm well ahead of the pack. Of course a white bean purée garnished with grilled calamare is also kind treatment indeed. Bruschetta topped with my Sicilian grandmother's capponata? Fuggedaboudit. In fact, I've found some caterers who are offering bruschetta bars as part of their packages.
So the next time you get the grill going for another reason, (although I think bruschetta is reason enough to start a fire) consider the humble, Tuscan 'oiled slice.' You and your guests will be happy diners indeed. Buon appetito.
Skip's Bruschetta
Grilled Bread
Ingredients:
4 Slices rustic bread, approximately 1 inch thick
4 Cloves garlic, peeled, and sliced in half, lengthwise
4 Tbs. Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt & freshly-ground black pepper
Preparation:
Cook the bread slices on both sides over a charcoal fire, a stovetop gratella, or under the broiler. If you're using a grill, or a gratella, 'stove-top grill, watch for the grill marks and turn when the bread is well done. If using the broiler, watch carefully for the bread to turn golden brown.
When the bread is toasted, remove from the heat and rub each side with the cut garlic. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over each slice, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Serves four.
Skip's Insalata con Pomodori e Rucola
Tomato and Arugula Salad
Ingredients:
2 — 3 Plum tomatoes cut into 1/2 inch dice
Approximately 1 tSaltsalt
1 Bunch arugula, washed, and coarsely chopped
1 Clove garlic, peeled, and finely chopped
1 Shallot, peeled, and finely chopped
2 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbs. Red wine vinegar
3 Tbs. Olive oil
Salt & freshly-ground black pepper
Preparation:
Place the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle with about 1 tsp. of salt. Allow the tomatoes to drain for ten or fifteen minutes. Remove to a bowl and combine with the arugula, garlic, shallots, parsley, vinegar, and oil. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your taste.
Spoon 1/4 of the mixture on each of four slices of bruschetta and serve immediately.
Serves four
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