Bruschetta (copy)

One of the simplest and most typical Italian antipasti, bruschetta is rarely served in its original form outside of Italy. The basic version of bruschetta is nothing more than a slice of stale sourdough bread toasted over an open fire (later a grill or a pan), brushed with fresh garlic and drizzled with olive oil. Although this way of eating bread was probably common to all parts of Italy that were blessed with olive trees since ancient times, the term bruschetta itself comes from the Lazio region -the region that includes the city of Rome. The term bruscare, to toast over an open fire, belongs in fact to the early Vulgar Latin spoken in Lazio region in the early Middle Ages, and remains in Roman dialect (and recently it has been added to the Italian language).

This habit of toasting stale bread was done to avoid wasting any amount of bread, which used to be rural Italy’s most precious staple food. Bruschetta was also a common way for herders, who did not have access to fresh bread for extended periods of time, to be able to use the stale loaves they brought from home during the long excursions to follow their cattle.

In Central Italy and Piedmont, bruschetta is still served simple, with garlic and olive oil but it is called fettunta or panunta in Tuscany and Sòma d’aj in Piedmont. The version with tomatoes that is the most known outside of Italy is a later development of bruschetta that regarded only the South, where tomatoes became central to the local cuisine since 1800s. Here bruschetta with added tomatoes takes on yet different names: fredda ruscia in Calabria, fredda rossa in Basilicata, pane arruscato cu ‘a pummarola ncoppo in Campania.

Ingredients

Portions: 4
4 slices preferably 1- or 2-days old sourdough bread
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, possibly a strong flavored one
Salt

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ideally, toast the bread slices on a grill. Alternatively, toast over a pan on medium heat without any oil added, until both sides are slightly browned.
Brush energetically the garlic on the hot bread slices, drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and season with salt.
Bruschetta is perfect paired with grilled sausage and other meats, but goes well also with vegetarian accompaniments like beans, commonly served with bruschetta in the Italian region Umbria.