If cleanliness is next to godliness, oxymoron to antithesis, heaven next to earth, then by such a logic the next best thing to sliced bread would have to be pane di casa. Transliterating to mean ‘bread of home’, this hearty and crusty loaf is beaming with the delicacy involved in its making and the residual elements of the oven it is baked within. Only prime, dense flour goes into making the loaf, using a carefully select amount of yeast, a secret serving of sugar and salt and most importantly, the right kind of oven which can deliver the intense heat needed to make a fibrous centre and a toasted top. With time racing away from us and the heart of summer finally reached in Sydney, it seemed only appropriate to bring out a family favourite summer recipe that has never been shy about boasting the best and most flavoursome the season has to offer. Each bite is like ecstacy escaped from heaven; such a perfect accompaniment as an entree and the best introduction to a host of antipasto cold meats and olives. Bruschetta was introduced to me by my grandmother back as a wee lad on one of those picturesque summer afternoons that we, sadly, see so infrequently. I was helping to gather the garden yields of heavy and succulent red Roma tomatoes, a sickle-worth of parsley torn from the partially shady corner, fresh sprigs of oregano and rosemary and copious quantities of vibrant green basil leaves (almost as large as my hand). It was already decided that dinner would be a wonderful cooling pasta with a variety of sweet vegetables, but what about lunch? What would we serve ourselves as a special treat? Little did we know how effectively our end product would attract the masses of family, who were otherwise occupied in admiring the garden. We quickly assembled the citizens of summer (our family) to meet the other citizens (the fresh produce) in a merry rapture that nobody has been able to forget.
Admittedly, I was horrified to learn that my grandmother kept loaves of pane di casa stored in her pantry for days at a time and would serve us slices from that stale loaf for soups and for eating with piquant and dry cheeses and wine. The best loaf, she would say, is discovered by testing the tension of the surface of the loaf; if it crumbles and crackles beneath your very light grip, then you have a top quality and fresh loaf that has not been sitting dormant in a bakery for several weeks at a time. Rubbery and soft loaves are a sign of age (and also a sign of a lack of using artificial preservatives, which is always good) and are best not used for this recipe. Insist on a crisp loaf that crumbles as you cut it with a gilded knife, preparing each slice in a certain special method. Shell a garlic clove, cut off its ends and squeeze it in the centre to release its fragrant juices. With the clove in your hand, vigorously rub the slice of bread until the garlic disintegrates in your hand – the work of body heat and friction together almost ‘cook’ the clove and allow its enzymes to work at giving extra flavour to the slice. With this slice as it is, toast it over a low heat barbeque, griller or the low setting of a toaster to allow the bread to crispen and retain its shape for the wet ingredients to come.
Bruschetta is amazingly easy to make, very versatile, loved by everybody and can be prepared up to two days in advance and kept in the fridge. The various regions of Italy (and many of the Italian families of Australia) have kept their variation of this recipe, substituting the traditional tomato and basil with garlic for a more seasonal variation such as prosciutto ham and even as outlandish as mussles; you’ll find our own variation as pictured above. Here, we have used fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, garlic, tomato and cucumber with a mixing in of white vinegar, sugar and salt to drizzle over the top.
For the main part, the quality of your bruschetta will depend on the quality of ingredients you choose to employ. Roma tomatoes for bruschetta are best used when they are firm and slightly green-to-red, where the tender juices of youth are still present. A good, peppery olive oil in its extra virgin state is essential to bring out the savoury flavour of the entree and a generous portion of finely diced, non-bleached purple garlic is also a must. Most important of all, you absolutely must choose your herbs extremely carefully and if possible, use only those you have grown in your backyard from seed or transplant, given plenty of plant food and emulsion to develop rich and tender stalks. When that fails, you can always rely on leaves of basil kept in the fridge for a few days, sprinkled over with a few drops of water as shown below.
INGREDIENTS (serving 4)
3 firm, plump roma tomatoes (or truss variety if more seasonable)
sprigs of oregano, handful of basil
parsley & rosemary (optional extras)
pinch of salt, pepper, sugar
dash of red & white wine vinegars
5 garlic cloves, crushed and finely diced
1 small cucumber, diced
Hope that they are happy memories!
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I remember this yummy meal! :)