BMT Bruschetta: A Match Made in Heaven

That’s right, BMT.

Not BLT. Because there ain’t no bacon or lettuce on this bruschetta.

Instead, we’re going vegetarian with a delicious trifecta that is the cornerstone of what we understand as Italian cuisine.

Can you guess what I’m talking about?

Basil.

looks like... a feather.

Mozzarella.

And tomato.

A trio of ingredients that complement each other so well, that if you have all 3 ingredients on hand, it’s almost a crime NOT to put them together.

And you don’t want to be a crime-committer, do you?

Nah, of course you don’t.

So we start with this:

Tomatoes and mozzarella that I picked up at the farmers’ market a few days ago, basil grown in my backyard, and a slice of whole wheat bread.

First things first: we toast ze bread.

Why toast, you ask? Well, it serves 2 purposes: we’re going to be putting a lot of moisture-heavy ingredients on this bread, and a slice of toasted bread won’t get as soggy as an untoasted slice. Also, toasted = crispiness! You know I’m a texture junkie; with all the soft ingredients on there, I need something crunchy to contrast them.

While the bread was still warm from the oven, I placed a few slices of mozzarella on top. arranging it carefully to get as much cheeseage as possible.

There! That looks pretty good.

Next came 2 beautiful slices of ruby-red tomatoes.

And then a chiffonade of basil.

Chiffonade is just a fancy term for thin ribbons. Cut away with a pair of kitchen scissors if you desire. ‘Cuz I won’t lie, it’s pretty hard to cut basil without bruising them.

Then a drizzle of good olive oil:

And a sprinkle of sea salt, just for seasoning.

And that’s it.

We’re done.

Mild and creamy. Juicy and acidic. Fragrant and herbaceous. Foiling and complementing each other at the same time on a wholesomely crunchy base.

And so, so, so simple.

But why mess with something when it’s already perfect?