Children of the ’90s: Rejoice, for bruschetta is due a revival. If you, too, grew up with parents piling carelessly cut tomatoes on any old piece of toasted bread and dropping it on the table with a flourish, this bruschetta is for you. But instead of the oft-abused balsamic vinegar of our youth (please, a moment of silence here for balsamic glaze), it’s finished with the explosive flavors of fresh ginger, nutty sesame oil, scallion, and a dash of soy sauce. Olive-oil-fried bread and fresh basil keep the familiar comfort of the classic in the background.
Not all of us may be blessed with access to truly ripe tomatoes, which is why this recipe uses cherry tomatoes, suspiciously good all year round. If you do happen upon excellent beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, use those instead, substituting an equal amount by weight. Core, halve, seed, and cut into ½" pieces to use.
What you’ll need
Serrated Knife
$26 At Amazon
Cast Iron Skillet
$35 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Toss 1 scallion, thinly sliced, 9 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved, quartered if large, 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger, 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, ½ tsp. soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar in medium bowl until combined and tomatoes are well coated. Taste and season with more kosher salt if needed. Let sit at room temperature while you toast the bread.
Step 2
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Fry bread, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Rub 1 side of each toast with 1 garlic clove and cut each slice into thirds crosswise.
Step 3
Arrange crostini on a platter. Spoon tomato mixture over crostini; top with torn basil leaves if desired. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
