Simple Italian Fresh Bruschetta

Start by properly washing the tomatoes. Coring and chopping tomatoes into small bits is a little effort, but it's worth every slice. Ripe and fresh tomatoes make the bruschetta more flavorful.

Mix together chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and chopped basil leaves in a bowl. Be generous with your basil. As per my grandmother's advice, you can never have too much basil in bruschetta.

Season with salt, then add balsamic vinegar. Give your mixture a good stir.

Pour in the olive oil gradually as you continue to mix. It's important to pour the oil in slowly to maintain the texture and the freshness of the bruschetta.

Slice your baguette or Italian bread. The thickness of the slice plays a crucial role in holding the bruschetta mixture perfect. I prefer a thickness of about one inch as it gives an ideal balance of crisp and soft textures after toasting.

Lightly toast the bread slices in the oven or even on a grill until they are golden brown. Freshly toasted bread adds a crunch to the dish which contrasts brilliantly with the juicy tomatoes.

Let the bread cool down a bit. Rub some garlic on the bread for some extra flavor and then top the slices with a hearty scoop of the tomato-basil mixture. Add more salt if needed.