Bruschetta with tomato and basil

For a starter that looks deceivingly impressive and is incredibly tasty, look no further than bruschetta! It is easy to prepare in advance of the occasion and is the ultimate crowd pleaser! This classic recipe uses tomatoes and basil however there are many different toppings you can use.

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls of ripe tomatoes


• 1 small bunch of french basil


• sea salt


• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley , stalks finely chopped


• sea salt


• freshly ground pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds


• olive oil


• herb vinegar

Method

1. The bread is best sliced 1cm thick and toasted on a barbecue, but it can also be done in a griddle pan for ease at home. After that it should be lightly rubbed a couple of times with a cut clove of garlic, then drizzled with some good extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. The toppings can be as humble or as luxurious as you like, from chopped herbs or a squashed tomato with basil, to marinated vegetables or beautiful cheeses, to lovely flaked crabmeat. The only rule is that whatever goes on top of a bruschetta should be nice and fresh and cooked with care.


2. Make sure your tomatoes are really ripe when making this topping. Give them a wash, remove their cores and carefully squeeze out the seeds. Place in a bowl, tear in the basil, season with salt and pepper, then toss with a good glug of olive oil and a good swig of vinegar to balance the flavours to your taste. You can serve the tomatoes either chunky or finely chopped, or you can scrunch them between your fingers before putting them on your basic bruschette – really tasty.

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