HISTORY

OF
Bruschetta

EIMY CASTILLO
BASIC KITCHEN
 Bruschetta

Is the name given to a dish originating from Italian cuisine, specifically

from central and southern Italy. It is considered one of the most
popular and traditional antipasti in Italy.

Meaning
The word "bruschetta" (plural
"bruschette" in Italian) comes from
the verb "bruscare" of the Roman
dialect, equivalent to the Italian
word "abbrustolire", which means
to toast.

The preparation of bruschetta is generally done in a special type of

oven called brustolina, although it can also be done in traditional
ovens.
Bruschetta is usually served as an antipasto (appetizer)
It consists of slices of toasted bread, coated with some garlic and
placed on the grill to brown. When serving, sprinkle them with olive oil,
salt and ground pepper.
The variations of bruschetta come from the additions and spices used,
varying these according to imagination, custom and ingredients used.
Depending on the time of year, they tend to be the most typical:
tomato, vegetables and cheese. In Tuscany bruschetta is called
fettunta ('slice in oil').
 The Origin of bruschetta

It is believed that they arose in the Middle Ages, in the

15th century, when peasants adopted the custom of
eating their meals on slices of bread without having to
use tableware. When it became stale, the bread was
"rescued" to be turned into bruschetta.

But more likely, its origin is due to the use of toasted

bread to test the different qualities of olive oil, a
practice that is still carried out in Italy. The Bruschetta
was made up of toasted bread, olive oil, garlic, salt and
pepper. It was the usual way that oil industries had to
show their products.

Later it became a food system, because it was morsels

that the peasants of the Tuscany region put on bread,
in order not to use plates or other elements at meal
time. In this way, feeding time was speeded up and
cleaning and handling of the dishes was avoided.

Over time, custom began to shape its consumption as

hors d'oeuvres, this is "entrepasto" or what is the same,
before "pasto", which means before pasta. And in other
words, it became an appetizer.
 The roast bread

The "Bruschetta", as a noun, is derived from the verb bruscare which

means to roast or toast over charcoal, which was the way the ancient
peasant prepared his bread. In the Tuscany region, bruschetta is called
fettuna, which means sliced ​in oil, and its preparation is usually done in
a special type of oven classified as a brustolina.

A bruschetta, then, must be toasted on the grill, generally, these are

wide slices of peasant bread. This way, the bread should be crispy on
the outside and soft on the inside.

As an additional condition, it is considered that this toasted slice must

have a hard, thick crust, rubbed with garlic, with a splash of olive and
tomato oil, and on top of it, as many ingredients as the imagination
indicates. These appetizers became widespread throughout the world
and are offered with all kinds of meats, sausages, cheeses, fresh or
candied vegetables, sauces and spreads of various kinds.
 The original recipe

In Italy they take great care in selecting bread, making sure it is

peasant or at least has a more compact crumb, with fewer air
bubbles. They also take care to use the best quality olive oil. The
bread should be sliced ​into 1 cm thick slices with a special bread
knife, in order not to crush it while slicing. The slices are placed on
the grill and allowed to toast on both sides. The desired texture is
for the bread to be crispy and golden on the outside, so that the
crumb is still soft on the inside. Once we reach that point, it is
removed from the grill and the edges must be rubbed with a clove
of garlic halved piece by piece.

As they are ready, they should be placed on a plate and drizzled

with a generous splash of olive oil over each of the breads. The
bread crumbs will absorb the oil and the surface will be left with a
trace of oil.

At this point we could taste a traditional bruschetta, adding just a

little salt and pepper, or putting a spoonful of tomato sauce and
chopped strawberry basil leaves on top. The ideal is to eat them
immediately before the bread loses its texture.

Then add whatever you want. A classic bruschetta, in addition to

the previous ingredients, includes cheese, which is usually
mozzarella and freshly ground black pepper.
 In the world

There are hundreds of different versions

of bruschetta spread throughout
restaurants around the world. Although
there are those who maintain that
bruschetta is not authentic unless the
toasted bread has olive oil and there are
many people who have replaced the
original ingredients with others. In fact, in
many recipes, the only thing that remains
of the traditional one is the slice of
toasted bread. Bruschettas are also
made with sauce, cheese or vinaigrette,
instead of olive oil. Many people add
mushrooms, olives, onion or other
vegetables. There are even bruschetta
covered in honey and fruit, which are
eaten as desserts.

When the grill is on, while waiting for the

roast, it is a good time to make them. It is
only necessary to choose the bread that
the more days old it is, the tastier it will
be and have different ingredients to
distribute on the crispy slices.