JFI-Bruschetta With Tomatoes.

When the April JFI was announced by RP of My Workshop as tomatoes, my first reaction was a tangy sweet and spicy chutney but that I had blogged about last summer.I sat and day dreamed of my garden with big boy tomatoes, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes...and then looked outside at the swinging door to my forlorn and cold garden.
As I watched each of my fellow bloggers comes up interesting combinations with tomato, my mind was still stuck..Maybe a tomato tart that shows up in all the magazines in the peak of summer, or maybe rasam or maybe pasta sauce....But the days flew by and I was too lazy to cook up any of that. This despite using tomato almost every day! So today while I made my mid-noon snack of Bruschetta with a tomato salad and pondered, it struck me. What better way to highlight a tomato? All the freshness and the sourness of a tomato tempered with garlic and olive oil and allowed to soak into crusty bread!
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, Bruschetta is grilled slices of bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. The toppings can be spicy red pepper, fresh tomato, vegetables and/or cheese. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetizer.
So without much ado, here is a simple recipe for the tomato topping for the tru tomato lover.
You will need:
2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 tbsp finely minced garlic
2 tbsp cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 small loaf of bread(baguettes), cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
salt to taste.

Preparation:
In a bowl, mix all ingredients except bread and garlic cloves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, unrefrigerated for at least 15-20 minutes. Heat oven to 350°F. Toast bread on a baking sheet till slightly crisp. Rub cut side of garlic on each slice; top with tomato mixture. Serve as appetisers or have as a snack.