Nothing says "Date Night" like a scrumptious plate of food and a movie shared with my sweet husband. Since we have just moved and purchased a new home, time and money are both tight. So, tonight we are having a "Home Date" night. We are hitting the Redbox and I am cooking up a plate of this dee-lish bruschetta. Food stylist Susan Spungen developed this bruschetta recipe for a scene in the movie "Julie & Julia." Here are the directions in Spungen's words:
As with any dish with just a few simple ingredients, the quality of the ingredients and technique are key.
Start with some excellent bread. This is crucial. Choose a rustic loaf with a stretchy interior with lots of holes and a crisp crust. If it's a round loaf, cut it into slices about 3/4 inch thick, and then cut those slices in half on an angle.
For the movie, we fried the bread in olive oil, as is director Nora Ephron's preference, but I usually grill or toast it in a hot oven (400°). Either way, try to get it crunchy on the outside while retaining some softness in the center.
Rub the bread with a whole garlic clove (the garlic will disintegrate into the bread since the coarse bread will act like a grater) and drizzle with the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Meanwhile, cut tomatoes into chunks, tear lots of basil leaves into medium-small pieces, and toss with more olive oil. Let marinate for a while.
Season with salt and pepper about a half hour before serving. The salt makes the tomatoes release their juices and you don't want that happening too soon.
Top bread with tomato mixture. If the bread is really crunchy, let the tomatoes sit for a few minutes before serving to soften the bread.
