Market Recipe Blog: Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Tomatoes and basil love the hot summer temperatures, and we love pairing them together. Eaten fresh, summer tomatoes are nothing like their grocery store counterparts, and are fragrant, delicate and delicious. This is a timeless way to enjoy the magical mid-summer moment when tomatoes, onion and basil are all in season. Try one of our heirloom varieties at market, and find fresh baguettes at our Saturday vendor A Bread Affair!
Tomato Basil Bruschetta
Recipe (adapted from Cookie + Kate)
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 bunch chopped fresh basil
- 2 gloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 baguette
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450F.
- Dice your tomatoes and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl, leaving the tomato seeds and juice behind on the cutting board. Stir the salt into the tomatoes, and add the onion, basil and garlic as they are ready. Stir to combine and set the mixture aside to marinate while you work on the bread.
- Slice your baguette on the diagonal into pieces no wider than ½-inch. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil (this will require about 2 to 3 tablespoons oil). If you don’t have a brush, pour olive oil into a bowl and dip each slice into oil on both sides.
- Place the slices in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and bake them on the middle rack for 6 to 9 minutes, until they’re crisp and nicely golden on top. Transfer the toasts to a serving platter, and set aside.
- When you’re ready to serve, carefully drain off the excess tomato juice that has accumulated in the bowl, using your hand as a stopgap. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to combine, and season the mixture with additional salt, to taste.
- Top each toast with tomato mixture, tipping your spoon against the bowl to release excess juice as necessary. Lightly drizzle a couple of tablespoons of thick balsamic vinegar on top, and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt if you have any.
Pick up produce at any of our three weekly markets: Tuesdays 4-6:30PM at the UBC Farm, Wednesdays 11:30AM-1:30PM at the UBC Bookstore, and Saturdays 10AM-2PM at UBC Farm. Learn more about our produce and browse other recipes in our Market Recipe Blog. Recieve regular market recipes from our newsletter here.