Classic bruschetta

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Bruschetta or Italian toasted garlic bread can be served in its classic form as with this recipe or with any topping of your choice. Your imagination is the only limit.

It's a great starter, especially for a barbecue

Ingredients

Bruschetta with cheese and ham

• 4 slices of thick cut Italian country bread - or the closest you can get to it
• 1 large clove of garlic, peeled, halved and bruised
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red chili pepper, halved lengthways (optional)
• Sea salt

Method

1. Toast the bread so it's to your liking
2. Rub the bruised garlic over the surface ot the toast
3. Optionally, rub the cut chili over the surface of the toast
4. Pour a thin stream of virgin olive oil over the surface of the bread
5. Sprinkle with sea salt

Serving suggestions

Serve warm

Variations

There are so many ways of doing this, after all, it's a slice of toast! Anyway, here's a few ideas:

• Sprinkle with Taleggio cheese, roasted red peppers and ripped basil leaves
• Slices of Prosciutto
• Slices of Parma ham
• Crumbled Mozzarella, ripped basil leaves and tomatoes
• Crumbled Mozzarella and Parma ham
• Crumbled Mozzarella and Prosciutto

If you include cheese, you may want to partially toast at first and then finish under the grill once the cheese has been added