Hola Mi Gente,
Earlier this summer I got a magazine and on the cover it had a really enticing invitation: Summer Like An Italian. My heart jumped a little as I read the title and read through the pages. They were filled with endless rosé, antipasti, and really good bread and cheese. That’s a pretty easy invitation to take up (especially considering my own fond memories of summering in Italy), but I have a few extra reasons I’m taking them up on the offer.
First of all, summer means Farmer’s Markets and summer produce in Oregon (one of my favorite places!). Of all the summer goodies we get to enjoy from the Farmer’s Market, one of my favorites are always heirloom tomatoes. The colors, the flavors, the different textures. I love them. They require very little dressing up, because they taste SO good on their own. As a kid I remember my mom would keep salt packets in the car, so that on the way back from the grocery store we could just bite into tomatoes as an afternoon snack. As an adult, I think I crave that same experience in the summer: of crisp, juicy tomatoes in the afternoon, before dinner.
Another reason summering like an Italian is appealing for us right now: a lot of antipasti are cold or raw–therefore keeping heat out of the kitchen during the months I miss our central A/C the most. These cold antipasti though, they’re meant to be enjoyed slowly, over wine. Hours before dinner, over good table conversation, or quiet reading. This simple, delicious recipe draws out all the best flavors in tomatoes, and hopefully, it’ll draw out the best of summer flavors around your table as well.
Love, love, love,
Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 1 Lbs Baby Heirloom Tomatoes Sliced
- 2 TSP Kosher Salt
- 1 TBSP Olive Oil
- 1/2 TSP Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 8-10 Leaves Basil Chopped
- 4 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes and place in a medium bowl. Add salt and let sit for 1-2 minutes to let the salt draw out some of the water in the tomatoes, and tenderize them. Add other ingredients together. Taste and adjust for flavor. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Serve on toast with fresh mozzarella or a sprinkle of balsamic vinaigrette.
Notes
Mary-Beth Johnson
Mary-Beth is a creative, food-obsessed, Georgia transplant living Chicago. She is proudly and fiercely Latina, and more specifically Chapina. In her day to day she is a food educator to students around Chicagoland aged 3 to 80+, both virtually and in-person. She is passionate about cultivating the truth that every person has an understanding of food that deserves being brought to the table, and that time in the kitchen can be sacred, passionate, and an act of love for self and others. Outside the kitchen you can find her at the intersections of infertility, chronic illness, and a deep love for the dignity of all humans. She hopes to create a space that is holistic about the role of food in the social, political, relational, and physiological dynamics of our world.
