T hirty minutes to air time on KATU TV’s AMNorthwest set in Portland.
I’m prepping for a segment on bruschetta, Italy’s simple toasted bread-and-tomato appetizer, and the burning question of the morning seems to be:
“So Jan, do you say bru-SHETA or bru-SKETA?”
“Bru-SKETA, Leslie. Bru-SKETA.”
“Good!” the executive producer said.
No faux pas on live television this morning.
Then one of the show’s hosts, Dave Anderson breezes in to the studio:
“OK, Jan … I’ve heard it both ways. So is it … “
“It’s bru-SKETA, Dave. Bru-SKETA.”
“But it looks like it should be with an S-H. You know, SHETA. And I’ve heard it both ways.”
“I know. But in Italian, the ‘sch’ is a hard sound. It’s ‘SKETA.’ “
Then Steve the director drops by for his last-minute run-down. With several trips to Italy under his belt, I knew he’d weigh in. But he’s more interested in re-living bruschetta experiences than pronunciation.
His most amazing was a Tuscan adventure, where the bread was dense and richly toasted, and the simple topping was “a cloud of grilled sweet onions drizzled with an incredibly fruity olive oil. Heavenly! Simply heavenly!”
I tell him that only recently, good friends Jan and Rob had brought a platter of classic bruschette with tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil to a party and it was such a refreshingly simple and delicious offering we all stood around and devoured them. Which is what gave me the idea for this morning’s segment.
One minute to air and Dave’s co-host, Helen Raptis, roars on to the set.
“Looking forward to bru-SKETA, Jan.”
I just grin.
Forty minutes into the show, back from commercial, and Helen, Dave and I are standing in the kitchen. Dave looks into the camera and reads the intro for the segment off the prompter. Then he turns to us.
“So, is it bru-SHETA or bru-SKETA?”
Helen &Jan: “Bru-SKETA!!!”
That settles that.
The components
If you’re still struggling for a description, bruschetta (bru-SKETA!) is quite simply a slice of fire-toasted bread topped with any number of ingredients, such as olive oil and salt, chopped tomato and basil, flaked tuna and capers, or a smear of seasoned white bean puree.
The bruschette are served on a platter as little appetizers.
Bruschetta is so incredibly pure and simple that each of its components must be the very best. Its toasty underpinning must be filled with flavor and texture, and the components on top, equally flavorful and perfect.
The bread: Go with a dense textured, crusty exterior, Italian-style. Make thick cuts, 1/2- to 1-inch thick pieces. And depending on how hefty a serving you want to offer, cut the slices in thirds, half or keep them whole.
The toasting: “Bruscare” is Italian for cooking over an open fire. So if you want to maintain an authentic presentation (and the most tasty), then the bread definitely should be toasted on both sides over coals before uniting with the topping. Second best toasting experience would be a gas grill. But the extra layer of flavor created from time over coals is worth the effort. If you must, a toaster oven or broiler will do in a pinch. When I was prepping the bread for my morning cooking segment on AMNorthwest I toasted them the night before then gently reheated the slices in a 350-degree oven and they came out great.
The olive oil: Because olive oil is a major player in bruschetta, use the good stuff. It should be extra-virgin and full-flavored, either buttery and fruity or peppery, or a combination of both.
The toppings: Well, after toasting the slices of bread, the most classic approach – during tomato season – is to scrape the surface of each toasted bread slice with a garlic clove for a whisper of garlic.
Alongside the bread slices, arrange several tomato halves so each diner can rub the cut surface of a tomato half over the top of the toasted bread. The tomato juices and flesh smoosh together with the toasted crustiness of the bread to form a remarkable morsel that is gobbled down on the spot before the juice-infused toast has a chance to become completely soggy.
Another classic topping during tomato season is to combine diced tomato with chopped basil, a sprinkling of salt, and a drizzling of olive oil. I also like to drizzle on a bit of a balsamic vinegar reduction and have provided a recipe so you can, too.
Classic tomato bruschetta
81/2-inch-thick slices good-quality, crusty, Italian-style bread
1garlic clove, peeled and halved
3ripe medium-sized tomatoes, chopped and drained
6tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (see note below)
1/4cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2teaspoons balsamic vinegar (or balsamic vinegar reduction; see note below)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Grill or toast the bread until nicely browned on both sides. Rub with the cut garlic.
When ready to serve, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, basil and vinegar in a small bowl. Toss gently and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture onto the grilled bread and serve immediately.
Note: To turn an average balsamic vinegar into a very rich and flavorful one, pour 2 cups of balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion, 1 coarsely chopped clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and about 10 or 12 peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the mixture has reduced down to about 1/2 to 1/3 cup and is thickened and somewhat syrupy.
Let the mixture cool and then strain through a fine sieve; be sure and press the onions and garlic with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all of the juicy balsamic vinegar.
Store the reduction in a tightly closed jar. It will keep for months and months.
Use it to drizzle over tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, or to jazz up a vegetable saute or to drizzle over roasting vegetables. Deelish!
This is a zesty spin on simple tapenade. It’s kicked up a notch in garlic, olive oil and other goodies, and makes a hearty condiment on a submarine sandwich concoction of Italian-style meats and cheeses.
Several years ago I began fiddling with the formula and created the following version, which makes the perfect topping .
Muffuleta garlic-olive relish for bruschetta
1/2cup coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
1/2cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives
1/4cup coarsely chopped red onion
1/4cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4cup balsamic vinegar (more to taste)
1tablespoon minced garlic
2teaspoons drained and rinsed capers
1/4teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper
1/3cup extra virgin olive oil
Place the olives, onion, parsley, vinegar, garlic, capers, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and continue processing until the mixture is thoroughly chopped but not pureed.
Adjust seasonings, adding additional vinegar if it needs a zing or additional olive oil if the mixture seems too sharp.
Will keep in the refrigerator for at least one month. Since the olive oil solidifies at low temperatures, remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
Grilled eggplant bruschetta
2small Italian eggplants (about 1/2 pound total), with skin, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick slices
1tablespoon salt
121/2-inch thick slices good-quality, crusty, Italian-style bread
1-2cloves of garlic, halved
1/2cup extra virgin olive oil
1teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1teaspoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
1/2pound fresh or dry whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Season both sides of the eggplant slices with the salt and place them in a large bowl; set aside for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, grill or toast the bread until nicely browned on both sides. Rub with the cut garlic.
Place the salted eggplant slices on a baking sheet and set aside. Whisk the olive oil with the oregano, parsley and basil in a small bowl. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides lightly with some of the herb oil and grill until golden brown on both sides, turning once, 4 to 5 minutes total.
Brush the top side of the toasted bread with the remaining herb oil. Place an eggplant slices on top of the bread slices, dividing them evenly among the bread. Arrange the mozzarella slices over the eggplant. Bake in 350-degree oven just until the cheese melts; serve hot.
Adapted from “Eleanora’s Kitchen,” by Eleanora Russo Scarpetta
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
Grill both sides of the bread slices and lightly brush the top side with a lovely, fruity extra-virgin olive oil or drizzle the olive oil on top after topping with:
* Thin slices of Walla Walla Sweet onion, raw or grilled
* Thin slices of grilled eggplant
* Thin slices of fresh Parmegiano-Reggiano, arugula and a few drops of lemon juice
* Chopped tomato, bits of crisp fried bacon and arugula combined with a bit of mayonnaise.
* Chopped tomato, bits of crisp fried bacon, arugula and a sprinkling of Gorgonzola
* Puree of white beans, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil
* Puree of 2 cups pitted Kalamata or pimiento-stuffed green olives, one small garlic clove and the juice of a lemon
* Thin slices of marinated artichoke sauteed in olive oil and sprinkled with lemon
* Thin slices of Parmigiano-Reggiano, arugula and a few drops of lemon
* Imported Italian tuna, capers and arugula
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