Traditional Italian bruschetta recipe
Italian bruschetta (from “bruscare”, meaning to roast over coals), is a tasty snack made from crispy grilled bread and finely chopped, tangy tomatoes. Bruschetta makes a great starter before a light dinner, and it looks impressive to boot. The only flaw is how moreish it is: you can never eat just one slice.
We’re updating an authentic Italian tomato bruschetta recipe here with a wholegrain baguette instead of the usual Italian or sourdough type bread for a little extra fibre. The Flora ProActiv Olive spread provides the helpful addition of 0.75g plant sterols – these can lower cholesterol levels when you eat 1.5-3g a day*, so this is one of three servings. If you don’t have elevated cholesterol levels, feel free to swap this for a single teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil*.
We’re updating an authentic Italian tomato bruschetta recipe here with a wholegrain baguette instead of the usual Italian or sourdough type bread for a little extra fibre. The Flora ProActiv Olive spread provides the helpful addition of 0.75g plant sterols – these can lower cholesterol levels when you eat 1.5-3g a day*, so this is one of three servings. If you don’t have elevated cholesterol levels, feel free to swap this for a single teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil*.
Italian tomato bruschetta recipe ingredients
This Italian bruschetta recipe serves two.
- 12 miniature plum tomatoes
- 1 handful of fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsps balsamic vinegar
- 4 tsps (20g) Flora ProActiv Olive Spread
- ½ a footlong wholegrain baguette
How to make Italian bruschetta
- Preheat your grill to 200C. You’ll need a grill-rack coated with a non-stick substance.
- Halve, then quarter your tomatoes using a sharp knife, and then transfer to a glass bowl. (This Italian bruschetta recipe assumes that you like tomato seeds. If you prefer the throw the innards away, use 20 tomatoes).
- Finely dice the garlic cloves and basil leaves, then add to the tomatoes and stir thoroughly together.
- Pour the vinegar over the tomato mixture, stirring gently with a spoon to coat. Season to taste, then chill in the fridge while you get on with the rest of the recipe.
- Slice 6 inches of wholegrain baguette into ½” thick rounds. You may prefer to discard the end piece, or use it for something else.
- Grill the rounds for ten minutes, turning several times, until hard and golden brown. Once cooked, plate up and spread with Flora ProActiv Olive.
- Use a spoon to pile the chilled tomato mixture on top, and dust with a little freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!
(This Italian bruschetta recipe provides 265 kcal, 7.2g of fat, 1.2g of saturated fat, 42g of carbohydrates, 8.3g sugars, 9.5g of protein, 0.1g of salt, and 0.75g plant sterols per serving)
Optional extras: For special occasions, you might want to try adding any of the following: shredded low-fat mozzarella, grated parmesan, wilted baby spinach, chopped pine nuts, or even a twist of dried chilli seeds.