Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes & Avocado Mash 🇮🇹

Good food is about quality produce, and very much so in the best of Italian cuisine.  Take the bruschetta, for example.  How do you make them without good artisan bread, plump firm cloves of garlic, vine ripened tomatoes, freshly picked basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil?  It's a taste sensation created by simple honest ingredients.  I use slices of thick sourdough bread grilled in a hot pan with creamy mashed avocado and sweet cherry tomatoes piled on top.  You can add other things to your liking - olives, prosciutto, ricotta, parmesan - to name a few, as well as a variety of herbs.  A versatile antipasto (starter), snack, and a meal in itself if you have a few of these!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 300g / 10½oz cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thick slices of sourdough bread
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and halved
• 1 large avocado
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD

1. Place tomatoes, red onion and basil in a medium size bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to mix ingredients gently.  Set aside for 15 minutes for flavour to develop.
2. Slice the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit.  Scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl.  Mash the flesh with a fork.  Sprinkle over lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  
3. Heat a grill pan on medium-high.  Brush both sides of bread with olive oil.  Grill for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden.
4. Transfer toasted bread to a serving platter.   Rub the cut side of the garlic over one side of the bread.
5. Spread an amount of mashed avocado over each slice of bread.  Top with the tomato mixture and drizzle over remaining olive oil.
6. Serve the bruschetta immediately, to be eaten by hand.

Note: Other sturdy Italian bread such as pane di casa or ciabatta also works.  Stale bread is good.  Roma tomatoes can be used instead of cherry tomatoes.