Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

I’ve decided heirloom tomatoes are taking over the world.  Forget the zombie apocalypse, it’s these tomatoes that are EVERYWHERE!  I used to just call them “funny looking tomatoes” but apparently their proper name is “heirloom tomatoes” and I’m all about being proper today (if you have no idea what I’m talking about, they’re the weird shaped/colored tomatoes that cost double the “normal” ones and look a bit diseased).  I wikipedia’d these things and I learned that they taste better because they lack a mutation which basically puts beauty before taste, but they are many times inbred tomatoes due to people saving the seeds from year to year.  So, basically they are awesome tasting inbred tomatoes.  Got it.  Didn’t think you were going to get anything educational out of this post did you?  Well today is your lucky day!

Anyhow, I saw some of these heirloom tomatoes, got sucked in by their pretty colors (they do that to you) and spent three times as much as usual on two times more tomatoes than I usually buy.  I then got home and wondered what the heck I was going to do with my beautiful tomatoes.   I decided I’d make a wonderful italaianish tomato salad for dinner.

I started throwing things in a bowl and mixing and when I got to the end I realized that my tomato salad would be delicious on some toasted bread.  That’s how this bruschetta was born and I’m in love with it.  Unfortunately for Mr. C, I hadn’t anticipated that I’d be needing bread so I had to send him out.  Don’t be like me; be prepared.

Begin by cutting some heirloom or baby heirloom tomatoes.  I threw in some red and yellow grape tomatoes also (which BTW came in a container labeled rainbow trio, however 2 sections were yellow and 1 was red.  How is that a rainbow trio?  To me that sounds like a duet….IDK about these labelers sometimes).

Chop up some basil.  If you don’t have some nifty herbscissors like me, you should check these out.  They’re amazing.  They are also very sharp.  I forgot that once.

Throw in some garlic, pepper, a pinch of sugar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and marinate.

We ate some the first night and it was good, but I saved some for the next night and ohmygosh that was amazing!  The flavors must have had a ranging party and mingled overnight.  Whatever happened, it was amazing.  What happens in the fridge stays there.

For the bread, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Diagonally cut some crusty bread, drizzle with olive oil, and bake it until browned and crustier, about 5-6 minutes. 

When you spoon the bruschetta mixture on the bread be sure to spoon on some of the juices as well.  I also drizzled a bit of balsamic vinegar over the tops which really put this recipe over the top.  Get it…over the top?!?  Anyhow…the recipe is below or you can check out the printable recipe.

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

1. c chopped heirloom tomatoes

1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

small handful basil (about 5-6 leaves)

2 cloves garlic, minced

fresh cracked pepper

pinch salt

1/8 c. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Mix everything together and marinate for 30 minutes-24 hours.

Bread

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Slice 1 loaf crusty bread diagonally.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden and crusty, about 5-6 minutes.

Enjoy!