The Joyful Table: Pear Tomato Bruschetta

My garden has been producing so many tomatoes. I am in bruschetta heaven!

There are so many variations of bruschetta out there. Everything from traditional to wacky. My favorite version stems more on the traditional side but there are a few key elements to note.

I won't make you wait. Here are the big to-do's:

-FRESH ingredients

-room temperature tomatoes

-a touch of sugar

-cook your garlic IN your olive oil for a quick bit

The fresh ingredients should be a no-brainer. I used these little pear tomatoes because they are going gang-busters in my planter boxes. PLUS (berrr-ber-berrrrrr!- trumpet sound) Chris announced he actually likes these kind of tomatoes! My heart skipped a beat. He is actually coming around. I think it's because they have less inside juices, and they don't "look" tomato-y.

Pear Tomato Bruschetta:

2 cups pear tomatoes (washed and then quartered)

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbls red wine vinegar

plenty of salt and pepper

1 tsp of sugar

a handful of fresh basil, chopped

Slice em up in quarters. You could do halves, but I think quartered is nicer if you have the time and the patience. And I have a three month old. If I can do it, you can do it.

Now, it's time for your garlic. I use my press for bruschetta just to guarantee a fine mincing.

THEN I heat my olive oil over medium heat in a small saute pan. When hot, I add my garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it. This will allow the lovely garlic flavor to not only infuse the oil, but it takes the raw garlic taste out and replaces it with a softer sweeter garlic flavor. Perfection- all because of one little step.

After the quick cook, put oil into bowl to cool completely.

Add your salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar to your toms. The sugar may seem counter intuitive, but it's an Italian thing... brings out the best in the tomatoes. It's important that your tomatoes are at room temperature. You would not believe how much flavor refrigeration takes away from them! And flavor is ALWAYS the goal. Try it out... do a little experiment. You will thank me later.