Last of Summer: Tomato Bruschetta with Magnificent Marinade

It’s one of the most basic elements of cooking, but it never fails to amaze me: Ingredients prepared a certain way can go from being hated to loved, and vice versa. I’m talking about sometimes subtle changes, innovative uses, the things that (hopefully) really surprise and delight us.

Rosemary isn’t usually my favorite herb—in its full form, it’s too reminiscent of pine needles for my taste. The fragrance is lovely, with something homegrown about it, like a Thanksgiving turkey, but a bite of a piece of rosemary can be overwhelming. So this recipe, with a garlic-rosemary-olive oil mixture dabbed on top of toasted bread, seemed safe, because the rosemary is chopped. Suddenly an ingredient I often steer clear of seemed much more accessible.

It’s the rosemary, and the other ingredients in the mixture (I’m not sure what to call it—a marinade, I guess, since the tomatoes sit in it for a bit too) that make this dish. No offense to the tomatoes, but I could have made a meal of just the bread and the marinade. Each element contributes, but they don’t overwhelm each other. There’s the herbal tone of the rosemary playing with the stronger taste of garlic (which, as we know, works wonders on bread) and the olive oil, salt, and pepper, longtime staples of the table, holding it together. On the tomatoes it also tastes brilliant.

There’s ricotta too, spread on top of the marinade, and bits of prosciutto,  peeking out from under the tomatoes. But as tasty as those are, I’m saying they’re optional. I liked having the prosciutto and ricotta, but without them the tomatoes would feel less crowded. Whether you have fresh garden tomatoes or store-bought ones, let them sing their last song of this summer loudly. Plus, you don’t want to lose the marinade under other flavors.

This summer is almost done.  It’s hard to say goodbye to sunshine (even though some days here in the Northwest have been too hot). So you might as well give good tomatoes their last hurrah for a while.

Tomato Bruschetta with Magnificent Marinade
Adapted from Bon Appetit

6 large tomatoes, cored and quartered
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 10-ounce baguette, cut into 1-inch thick slices
About 1 cup ricotta cheese (optional)
3 ounces prosciutto, coarsely chopped (optional)

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place tomatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Pour over tomatoes, stirring to coat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place each tomato quarter cut side down on the sheet. Reserve the marinade in the bowl for the bread. Bake the tomatoes for 35 minutes (the skin should be browned in places). Set aside to cool, leaving the oven on.
3. Place the bread slices on a second rimmed baking sheet. Generously brush the tops with the marinade, making sure to include bits of garlic and rosemary. Toast bread in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta on each toast, if using. Top each with prosciutto, if using, followed by tomatoes (do your best to distribute prosciutto and tomatoes evenly among the toasts).