What is bruschetta?
Bruschetta (pronounced brew-SKET-uh) is toasted bread topped with fresh tomatoes, dressed with garlic, basil, olive oil, and salt. Traditionally, the bread was toasted over a wood-burning fire, and then the ingredients were added. These days, one might forego the wood-burning fire, but bruschette (the plural form) is still slices of toast topped with cold ingredients.
Charcuterie boards or bruschetta – which came first?
Bruschetta originated in Italy, with roots dating back to Ancient Rome, when olive growers would sample their fresh olive oil on bread. Charcuterie boards, a concept of serving assorted meats, cheeses, and other foods on a platter, developed in France around the 15th century.
While Bruschetta has a culinary genre of its own, it had simple beginnings. It was used for centuries by laborers and farmers to salvage stale bread.
While charcuterie boards rely on an assortment of different cured meats and cheeses to win over participants, for a bruschetta to be good, it must start with a high-quality olive oil and “good” bread. And just like the ingredients that make up a charcuterie board, bruschette need fresh and delicious toppings.
Photo credit: Tomáš Sova from Pixabay
What type of bread to use for your bruschetta
When choosing bread for bruschetta, you want something with a sturdy crust and firm enough to hold the toppings. A loaf of Italian bread, like ciabatta, is a good choice for traditional bruschette. But a French baguette sliced on the diagonal is also a good choice.
You’ll want to brush each slice of bread with olive oil before toasting it in the oven or on the grill. The oil helps to create a golden, crispy toast that won’t get soggy once all the toppings are added. Once toasted, rub a sliced clove of garlic over the surface of each piece. Now you are ready to add toppings!
Bruschetta variations- an assortment of toppings
There are many different variations of bruschetta. While tomatoes are the most popular topping, bruschetta in Rome, for example, is often topped with anchovies and fresh mozzarella.
Sicilians might replace fresh basil with fresh oregano, and in central Italy, instead of tomatoes, they might just top the bruschetta with white cannellini beans.
Photo credit: Eating Around Italy
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In Tuscany, if you omit the tomatoes and drizzle the garlic-rubbed toasted slices with extra virgin olive oil and a generous sprinkle of large sea salt crystals, you’ll have what is called fettunta or “oily slice”, an Italian version of garlic bread.
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Here are bruschetta topping ideas:
- Roasted grape or cherry tomatoes
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Prosciutto
- Caramelized onions
- Grilled corn
- Red peppers
- Olive tapenade
- Marinated eggplant
- Assorted cheeses
- Jams and honey
- *Fresh peaches
- Herbs: fresh basil, oregano, thyme
*See our Peach Tomato Bruschetta recipe
You’ll want to include options for drizzling, like extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, balsamic glaze, or hot honey.
Setting up your bruschetta charcuterie boards
ü 🥖 Once you’ve decided on what toppings you’ll be using, prep them by slicing them into bite-sized pieces.
🍅Place each topping in a small bowl and arrange them on your board or platter.
Olive tapenade, marinated mushrooms, mozzarella balls, and grape tomatoes make for delicious toppings.
Place the grilled or toasted bread slices around the bowls.
Remember to include spoons and spreaders for people to help themselves to toppings. Our Celia copper olive spoons and Celia sugar spoons were just the right size for this bruschetta charcuterie board.
🎥 Watch the video below to learn how easy it is to assemble bruschetta charcuterie boards and create your delicious bruschetta with toppings of your choice.
What kind of charcuterie board should you use?
Our handcrafted marble charcuterie boards are made from stunning white Agra Marble, sourced from quarries near the Taj Mahal. We also offer platters and boards made from acacia wood and marble, available in various styles and sizes. Whether you’re preparing a small bruschetta snack for two or hosting a larger gathering, our boards are perfect for any occasion.
The Cupid Marble Wood Round Platter is just the right size to start building a bruschetta charcuterie board for two.
The Cortar Marble Charcuterie Board has attractive beveled edges and a unique rounded end, perfect for creating a small bruschetta board for 2-4 people.
The handcrafted Ovada Hexagonal Marble Charcuterie Board features beautiful Mother-of-Pearl corners and a leather strap for hanging. The Ovada is an attractive backdrop for our bruschetta board!
Charcuterie or bruschetta – making the switch
Do you love creating charcuterie boards to serve friends and family? While a charcuterie board filled with delicious specialty cheeses and cured meats can be delicious, the cost of building these boards can start to climb quickly with each specialty item.
Next time, why not treat your guests to a bruschetta board instead? Since the main ingredient of bruschetta is bread, and the toppings are affordable staples, seasonal produce like tomatoes and garlic, herbs, and olive oil, bruschetta charcuterie boards can be quite inexpensive.
Along with being more budget-friendly, bruschetta boards allow for a large assortment of toppings and unique variations that are fun to try without adding too much to your entertaining budget.
We’re sure that once you try creating a unique bruschetta board, you'll want to add it to your entertaining repertoire.
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