Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

Directions

Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain.

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Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area.

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Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

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While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely.

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Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar in a bowl and mix.

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Add the chopped basil.

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Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices.

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Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush.

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Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven.

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Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack.

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Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

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Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up.

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Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve.

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If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

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