Once, while traveling in the little town (almost a village) of Jerome, Arizona, I stumbled upon the best Bruschetta I've ever had. A small place -- in fact, historically it had been a Brothel -- the husband and wife owners took time to speak to my wife and I, and I grabbed the opportunity to quiz them on the recipe. It's fairly simple, and I've listed it below.
First, you'll need to make homemade bread. A simple flat bread will do, and I tend to add rosemary and oregano into the batter (although I did not in the photos below).
In a bowl, add a cup of water and a 1/2 tsp of yeast. Get yourself two scoops of flour, and mix gently. Make sure there are no lumps. Add in the herbs, if you want.
Mix it up and let it sit, covered with a damp cloth, for about 15-30 minutes.
While you're waiting, you can prepare the toppings. I use cherry tomatoes from the garden, but any type will do. If you want to get fancy, try multiple colored heirloom tomatoes.
Dice them into quarters, and then place them in a bowl filled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add pepper, garlic, and a touch of salt, and stir.
Next comes the basil. You can either slice the basil into strips, or keep the leaves whole.
When your dough is ready, add some flour to your hands and sprinkle the top of the dough. Roll it into a patty or a ball and remove onto a flat surface. Fold the dough in upon it self, turning it out. Craft several flat rolls in any shape you like. I prefer rustic edges and an almost rectangular shape. Glaze the top of the uncooked dough with olive oil.
Set your oven to 350, and put the dough in for 8-12 minutes.
Because they're relatively thin, the dough should cook into a slightly crispy bread.
Pull out the bread and fire up your cast iron skillet. Roast the dough on the skillet with a touch of oil, just to give it a slight bite and added crunch.
Plate the bread and sprinkle the tops with more olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Be liberal and messy, since you'll want some of the edges and bottom to be flavored as well.
Optional: Add thin sliced mozzarella cheese or slivers of Parmesan, either to the bread itself or on top of everything.
Add the tomato mix, making sure you scoop out the oil/vinegar as well. If your bread is crispy enough, it won't become soggy from the liquids.
Pour any excess oil and vinegar over everything for added taste.
Top it off with your basil, and you're done!
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