garlic bruschetta with garlic bread chips

garlic bruschetta
4 roma tomatoes
1 medium garlic clove grated
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 large basil leaves

garlic bread chips
1/2 french baguette
2 garlic cloves grated
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter

for the bruschetta, cut roma tomatoes in quarters lengthwise.  remove the seeds.  petite dice the tomatoes.  in a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  toss the tomatoes in the dressing.  add basil.  let marinate for 15-20 minute while you prepare the garlic bread chips.

for the garlic bread chips, cut a baguette in half.  slice it lengthwise.  then thinly slice.  in a small pan, grate the garlic.  add in oil and butter.  melt butter and slightly saute the garlic.  the garlic should remain white and not brown.  brush the buttery mixture on one side of the bread.  place the bread under the broiler.  rotate the pan often and keep an eye on the garlic bread chips.  as soon as one is done, place take it out and place it on another cookie sheet close and waiting.  plate up pretty and enjoy!

quartered, seeded, and petite diced

have a second cookie sheet ready to place each
garlic bread chip as soon as it is toasted and done

I feel awful cutting out the seeds of the tomatoes and trashing them but it is really necessary in this recipe.  I used to do this for salsa and my garlic basil tomato sauce as well; however, I realized that it was an unnecessary step.  With bruschetta though, the seeds significantly more liquid than is optimal.

So I had bruschetta at The Cheesecake Factory with my parents.  It was good... but they served it with pita/flat bread.  Interesting but not quite right.  Then I have been to other restaurants that serve huge pieces of bread or garlic bread with their bruschetta.  The focus should be the bruschetta.  Similar to salsa and chips, I think bruschetta needs a thin foundation to be piled up on... So I came up with really thin garlic bread.  The bread is about a quarter inch thick.  It toasts up so nicely!  This makes a great amount for hors dourves (but I ate it as dinner).  Yummy!