Name: Bruschetta al Pomodoro (Grilled Bread with Tomatoes)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 large slices bread (ideally this would be a large, oval- or tube-shaped, crusty loaf with fairly thick crust, such as pane Pugliese, casareccio, or pane comune); 45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) olive oil; 3 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces; 1 clove garlic, cut in half; 400 grams (14 ounces) ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced (1½ cups); Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; 7½ milliliters (½ tablespoon) red wine vinegar; Pinch of red pepper flakes

Several variations of tomato bruschetta are possible using the same few ingredients, each with a slightly different flavor; some are given below. The uniqueness of each demonstrates the way in which Italian chefs personalize their cooking and express their individuality, even in such a simple dish and with few ingredients.

Bruschetta may be served just as it is or with an accompanying arugula and tomato salad. In addition to its role as an antipast