Julie and Julia – Bruschetta Recipe with Pan Fried Crostini

After seeing Julie & Julia- I prepared the first meal that we see Julie Powell make (pre-Project, for those wondering). Bruschetta with a pan-fried crostini. It’s a very simple recipe (I made it in practically no time at all- even after I accidentally burnt the first batch of bread.  So don’t walk away from the pan.)

Bruschetta ala Julie and Julia

from The Hungry Novelist

Ingredients

For the crostini:
French bread (the wider loaf, not a thin baguette- though if you’re doing a party, those are great, too)
Olive oil
One clove of garlic

For the bruschetta:
Tomatoes (good quality)
Fresh Basil
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

The simplest part of the recipe is the bruschetta. Roughly chop your tomatoes, removing the core and seeds if they don’t look edible. Toss them in a little bit of olive oil (the original recipe called for 16 oz of tomatoes, and 1 T of olive oil) and sea salt. I added a tiny bit of pepper as well. Then, tear the basil into bite size pieces and set aside for the moment (to make sure that the basil doesn’t get soggy, it’s added at the last minute)

The crostini is pretty easy, too. But as I mentioned, you might want to keep an eye on the bread- I did burn mine the first time because I got distracted. In a non-stick skillet, heat 3 T of olive oil. Add in your bread (don’t overcrowd the pan) and cook until one side is a golden brown. Flip the bread and add more olive oil, if necessary – the bread will soak up the oil as it cooks. Remove as soon as they’re golden brown to a paper towel. Take your clove of garlic and rub the toast (both sides).

When all your crostinis are done, top with the bruschetta and enjoy!