Few things say summer in Tuscany like a plate of bruschetta on the terrace. Warm toasted bread, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and a generous pour of good olive oil. It is simple, honest food, and it tastes best eaten slowly, outdoors, with a view of the hills.
Simple food, done well
Tuscan cooking has always been about a few good ingredients treated with respect. Bruschetta began as a way to use up day-old bread and taste the new season's olive oil. Today it is on every trattoria menu, but the best versions are still the simplest: no balsamic glaze, no fancy toppings, just bread, tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt and oil.
Bruschetta or fettunta?
In Tuscany you may also hear it called fettunta, from fetta unta, meaning "oiled slice". Fettunta is the purest version: toasted bread rubbed with garlic and soaked in olive oil, especially in autumn when the new oil arrives. Add chopped tomatoes and basil, and it becomes the bruschetta most visitors know and love.
Recipe · Serves 4
Tomato & basil bruschetta
- 8 slices of rustic bread, such as Tuscan pane sciocco or a good sourdough
- 4 ripe tomatoes, or a handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and halved
- A small bunch of fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil, the best you can find
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Chop the tomatoes, place them in a bowl with a pinch of salt and leave for 10 minutes so the juices start to flow.
- Tear in the basil leaves and add a good splash of olive oil and a little black pepper.
- Toast or grill the bread until golden and crisp on the outside but still soft in the middle.
- While the bread is still hot, rub one side lightly with the cut garlic.
- Spoon the tomatoes on top, finish with another drizzle of olive oil and serve straight away.
Our tips
- Use good bread. Tuscan bread is traditionally made without salt, which makes it perfect for salty, juicy toppings.
- Only use ripe tomatoes. In summer, buy them from the local market; they make all the difference.
- Don't skimp on the oil. A peppery Tuscan extra virgin olive oil is what makes bruschetta taste of Tuscany.
- Serve immediately, before the bread goes soft.
Bruschetta at Stalla di Guzzano
Our farmhouse kitchen and shaded terrace are made for meals like this. Pick up bread, tomatoes and oil from the markets around Bagni di Lucca and Lucca, then make an easy lunch to enjoy outdoors with views over the valley.
Stay with us
Long lunches on a Tuscan terrace
Stalla di Guzzano is a holiday rental and retreat centre in the hills above Bagni di Lucca, with a farmhouse kitchen, outdoor dining and a private pool.
Book your stay Contact us