Italian Sub Bruschetta | An Fun & Easy Appetizer Recipe! | Mantitlement (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between crostini and bruschetta? ›

Crostini is usually toasted because the bread is much smaller and thinner than bruschetta. Therefore, not much is required to get the bread to a crispy level. For bruschetta, the main method of choice is grilling. After all, bruschetta is derived from the Italian word meaning “to roast over coals”!

Bruschetta is the traditional Italian appetizer made of tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar glaze, olive oil, and cheese, served over large slices of Italian or sourdough bread. It's light, sweet, tangy, and when prepared right, will feel like it's melting in your mouth.

It's just a mixture of chopped tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and garlic, spooned over olive-oil brushed slices of toasted baguette or rustic bread. It's perfect for a party because you can make a large batch of the topping ahead of time, as well as toasting baguette slices.

Many parts of Tuscany serve bruschetta along with cuts of meat like prosciutto crudo, chicken livers, fresh sausage or lard, which melts delightfully into the warm toasted bread.

According to the International Culinary Center, the term bruschetta is sometimes used interchangeably with crostini and the Tuscan dish fettunta. In Tuscany, fettunta is usually served without toppings, especially in November, to taste the first oil of the season.

Ingredients You'll Need

Tomatoes – I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes for the bruschetta because they're easier to cut and aren't as watery and fleshy, but feel free to use Roma tomatoes or whatever is ripe in your garden!

Bruschetta traces its roots back to ancient Rome, where peasants created a simple dish by grilling leftover bread over an open fire. This practice allowed them to make use of stale bread and add flavor to their meals. The word “bruschetta” comes from the Italian verb “bruscare,” which means “to roast over coals.”

The simplicity in the kitchen always wins and the bruschetta is one of those simple dishes that are also rich in flavor and authenticity. A delicious appetizer, a poor dish that is a must in restaurants throughout Italy.

Stuzzichini – the nibbles

We have talked a little bit about drinks, now let's look into the stuzzichini, the nibbles. In some places, you get so many of them they could almost replace your main meal. The snacks may vary from north to south, depending on local specialities.

What is Italian for appetizers? ›

Antipasti: Italian Appetizer Recipes.

Tomato skins and seeds can be bitter, and removing them improves the flavor and texture of your bruschetta topping. Seeds and skin also contain extra water, which can make your bruschetta runny and your toast points soggy.

The primary ingredient in Bruschetta is tomatoes and as you already know tomatoes are extremely good for health. They are packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, folate and potassium. Moreover, they are also a rich source of antioxidants such as Chlorogenic Acid that is known to help lower blood pressure.

Bruschetta originated in Italy during the 15th century. However, the dish can be traced back to Ancient Rome, when olive growers would bring their olives to a local olive press and taste a sample of their freshly pressed oil using a slice of bread.

The Appetizer Course

For the French, they are the hors d'oeuvre. They are called antipasti in Italian, where they can be served hot or cold, cooked or raw.

A delicious appetizer, a poor dish that is a must in restaurants throughout Italy. The bruschetta was born as a hymn of the Tricolor, the Italian flag, thanks to the colours of the three main elements of it: the green of the basil, the “white” of the bread and the red of the tomatoes.