Broiled, grilled or roasted bread topped with freshness describes fresh bruschetta.

Fresh garden tomatoes with a bit of garlic, basil and some other ingredients makes for an easy appetizer bread topper any time of the year.

You will find this recipe and the amounts of ingredients become amount to your liking. Use this recipe as a guide.

Classic Bruschetta

1 fresh baguette, sliced diagonally or to your liking

At least 3 large farm-fresh tomatoes

Some leaves of fresh basil, amount to your liking and roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, divided (One clove finely grated and one clove to rub on the bread)

Extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons for tomato topping and some for drizzling over the browned bread

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Balsamic Glaze, shaved parmesan cheese and a basil leaf or two, optional garnish

Place the sliced bread on a lined baking sheet. Broil until slightly browned. Flip the bread slices over and brown the other side. Remove the bread from the oven and rub each side of the bread slices with the garlic clove. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

While your bread is cooling, make your tomato topping. Dice your tomatoes to a small dice. Place into a bowl. Add in your other ingredients and mix lightly.

Spoon over each slice of crusty bread. Garnish with balsamic glaze and shaved Parmesan if you wish. Enjoy prior to or with your meal.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (www.escoffier.edu). Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef and pastry chef at Ateira’s on First. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.