Julie & Julia's Tomato Bruschetta

As we are in the season of Lent...I have a confession.  I have been making Bruschetta for over twenty years and it turns out I have been making it wrong this entire time.  I thought I knew what Bruschetta was but I have been completely off my game, until I had this version of Bruschetta!

We all know what a good movie does for me, especially when there is beautiful food involved!  I had forgotten about Julie & Julia and it was playing the other weekend.  I of course had great intentions of watching it while folding laundry.

My intentions fell to the wayside as I became engrossed in all the cooking scenes of course.  Next thing you know, I am plopped on my bed, curled up in my favorite blanket with daughter by my side, Labrador on my feet and we fall into movie land (with three foot piles of laundry surrounding us, waiting to be loved).

This Bruschetta is one of the earlier recipes in the movie and they did an amazing job making it look enticing...it worked!  I hit the search engines and found this recipe...I am so in love with this appetizer/side dish, I cannot get enough of it.  The beauty of it, pairs so nicely with a salad or hearty bowl of soup and a nice bottle of red wine.  Bon Appetit!

Julie & Julia's Tomato Bruschetta
Adapted from www.tineathome.com

2 pints (or 15 ounces) heirloom cherry tomatoes (or red and yellow)
5 Tbl balsam vinegar
1 ciabatta loaf
2 Tbl oregano
2 Tbl thyme
3 Tbl fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade
1 clove of garlic
4 Tbl olive oil
4 Tbl butter (the real stuff)

Take your ciabatta loaf and make some diagonal cuts along the loaf, outlining your slices of bread.  Don't make the slices too thin, as they will need to be thick enough to support the tomatoes.  You want to make some deep cuts but don't cut them all the way through.  Now brush some olive oil on the top and the bottom of the ciabatta loaf and try to rub it in between the slices as well.  This way you get a crispy crust on the outside or the bruschetta.  Place bread on a cookie sheet and put in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until the top and bottom are crispy (around 8-10 minutes).  Remove loaf and slice bread completely.

While bread is in oven, prepare your tomatoes and basil.  Cut the tomatoes in half and chop the basil finely, put them all in a bowl and add the vinegar, mix well.  Set aside.

Heat up some butter in a drying pan (cast iron, even better) and add your oregano and thyme.  Divide ingredients accordingly, as you will have to do this in batches.  By adding the spices to the butter, they'll be able to melt in the bread.  Fry the bread in butter/spices until both the top and bottom are crispy as well (on both sides).

When bread is done, rub the clove of garlic on top of every slice of bread for some extra flavor, and then add your tomato-basil mixture on top.  Serve while still warm.

One Year Ago: BBQ Glazed Meatloaf
Two Years Ago: 24 Hour Salad
Three Years Ago: Chile-Cheese Egg Bake