Elevate Garlic Bread With A Simple Tomato Rub
With its zesty topping and buttery flavor, garlic bread never goes out of style. A beloved classic, this dish is typically served as an appetizer or accompaniment to a main meal. It's also incredibly easy and quick to make. In this simple garlic bread recipe, baguette slices are slathered with a combination of garlic, butter, and parsley. After baking the bread for 10 minutes, sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top. Delicious!
You may be familiar with bruschetta, which is actually Italy's original garlic bread, per The New York Times. Basic bruschetta consists of hefty slices of bread, fresh garlic, and rich olive oil. In Rome and Southern Italy, foodies also relish bruschetta al pomodoro. While this bruschetta is usually garnished with diced tomatoes, the red delights can also be soused in a bit of garlic, oil, and chopped basil. As noted by the outlet, Chef Carlo Middione sees bruschetta as a bit of an underdog. He said, "If you have good bread and good olive oil and good tomatoes, what could be simpler than this to show off the quality of those ingredients?” Of course, this staple is just one way to integrate tomatoes and bread. If you want to enhance the flavor of your garlic bread, grab some ripe tomatoes and get ready to experiment in the kitchen.
You can bake the tomatoes or grate the flesh
From roasting tomatoes to grating the juicy flesh, there are various approaches to making a tomato-based garlic bread. Food Network's recipe is quick and easy, as it involves few ingredients and steps. After cutting up a baguette into small pieces, stir olive oil, chopped garlic, and a dash of salt together. Then, rub each piece of bread with the blend. Add a slice of tomato and some grated parmesan before tossing in the oven.
Pan con tomate — a popular dish in Barcelona — uses a different method to maximize flavor. The New York Times shares a version of this juicy dish that incorporates a simple technique. After slicing medium tomatoes in half, grate the flesh so that it forms a granular paste. Once you get rid of skins, cut the rest of the tomatoes into ¼-inch slices. Then, slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Meanwhile, massage the tops of toasted bread with a garlic clove. The cloves will reduce in size as the garlic spreads onto the bread. Add a generous tablespoon of the tomato mixture to each piece of garlic bread. Finally, top them off with the tomato and cherry tomato halves.
Add protein to your tomato-garlic bread
There are so many ways to get creative with tomato-infused garlic bread. If you're looking to pack some protein into your creation, try this Martha Stewart recipe. Yes, fried eggs add a flavorful flair to this mouthwatering variation. Once the garlic bread and eggs are prepared, char oil-coated tomatoes in a cast-iron skillet. Top toast with tomato halves, slightly smashing them. Then, season the dish to your liking and add fried eggs.
If you want to turn this savory snack into a hearty meal, beef up your bread with Rae Drummond's recipe for spicy garlic bread sloppy joes. Begin by adding diced onion, minced garlic, jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers, and Fresno chili peppers to browned ground beef. Tomato paste, ketchup, and beef broth are also mixed in with the meat. Other spices like chili powder and mustard give the concoction a tasty kick. As the sauce sits and gels, top garlic bread with slices of provolone cheese. Then, scoop up heaping spoonfuls of the sloppy joe mixture onto the bread.