Get on top with these grilled breadwinners

The Italians were on to something when they invented bruschetta.

Source: Brett Stevens

The Italians were on to something when they invented bruschetta. Not only is it simple to make with 3-4 fresh ingredients, but the possibilities are near-endless – if it chops into pieces and tastes good, it can be bruschetta-fied. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve with a bit of premium olive oil and a crusty loaf of bread. 

The traditional interpretation is hard to beat, with juicy tomatoes, fragrant basil and good quality olive oil, but it’s not just Italophiles who’ve cottoned on – varieties of bruschetta have popped up all around the world. Here, we bring you the very best bread toppings the Internet has to offer.

1. The original: Bruschetta

If we had to pick one dish to live on forever, a classic plate of bruschetta would be vying for the number one spot. “Bruschetta is such a simple yet delicious Italian dish,” Melbourne chef Guy Grossi tells SBS. “But you do have to start with good ingredients.” He’s referring to the essentials: bread, tomatoes, olive oil, basil, fresh black pepper and coarse salt. “Tomatoes must be ripe and sweet, and I like to use imported porcini mushrooms,” he says.

2. If you’re feeling festive: strawberry bruschetta

It’s a dish that tastes as pretty as it looks, swapping out umami tomatoes for sweet berries that perfectly offset the balsamic vinegar’s sharpness. Strawberry bruschetta is normally savoury – with feta or goat's cheese, basil and perhaps some slivered almonds atop sourdough bread, but there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting to make a dessert.

3. Spanish-style: Pan con tomate

Believe it or not, Spain’s answer to bruschetta is even easier than the original – Pan con tomate doesn’t even require diced tomatoes. Simply cut and toast slices of good quality country bread, rub half a garlic clove on the surface, then do the same thing with half a tomato so the bread absorbs the juice. Top with slices of Iberico ham, anchovies, or even just olive oil and sea salt. This is simple Spanish comfort food at its best.

4. A Scandi twist: Toast skagen

A staple hors d'oeuvre at Swedish dinner parties, toast skagen, or prawns on toast, has become a symbol of decadence in Swedish cuisine. Prawns are mixed with mayonnaise, gräddfil (Swedish sour cream) and dill, then seasoned with tabasco, grated horseradish or brandy. The mixture is heaped atop sautéed bread – usually thin slices of rye.

Prawn and caviar on toast (toast skagen) Source: Supplied

5. Roast beetroot bruschetta

As autumn approaches, we’re thinking about cool-weather alternatives to our favourite dishes. This winter vegetable spin on bruschetta fits the bill perfectly. With beetroot, thyme, walnuts and plenty of garlic, this Australian-focused version will warm you from the inside out. Try the recipe out before winning over your entire dinner party.

Roast beetroot bruschetta with roast garlic aioli Source: Petrina Tinslay

6. Polish street snack: Zapiekanka

This popular Polish street snack hasn’t changed much since it was first invented in the 70s, because we all know what they say about fixing things that certainly ain’t broke. Dubbed “Polish pizza”, zapiekanka is similar to an open sandwich, made with half a baguette topped with sautéed white mushrooms, mature yellow cheese that melts beautifully, and served with hot ketchup. Adventurous poles will add bacon, pickled cucumbers and spicy sauce, or anything else that comes to mind.

7. Maltese-style: hobż biż-żejt

A colourful, crunchy take on Italian bruschetta, hobż biż-żejt (which translates as ‘bread with oil) is a kind of open sandwich that  hails from Malta. Bread is smothered with kunserva (sweet tomato paste) and topped with everything we love about Mediterranean cuisine: capers, parsley, salt and black pepper, and white anchovies or tinned tuna. This recipe calls for pesto, red onion, black olives and basil.

Source: Brett Stevens

8. Something totally different - Peanut butter and Sriracha toast

Okay – comparing this Thai-inspired dish to bruschetta might be a bit of a stretch, but we seem to have misplaced the rule book. Sriarcha and peanut butter might seem like unusual bedfellows, but trust us, it works. Smother warm toast peanut butter, add a dash of spicy sriarcha sauce and then top with coriander, spring onion, lime and coarse sea salt. You can thank us later.

9. Moroccan all over: Spiced glazed onion and goat’s cheese bruschetta

Inject your bruschetta with a Moroccan flavour hit with this glazed onion and goat's cheese bruschetta, courtesy of chef Hassan M’Souli. Using a Moroccan ras el hanout spice mix and a touch of chilli powder gives this dish a bit of a kick, making it an ideal snack or even a light meal.

10. Tartine 3 ways

A glorious open-faced sandwich, the French tartine consists of a single piece of sliced bread that gets all dressed up. Sweet haloumi, balsamic strawberries and ricotta or ricotta and wild pickled mushrooms - take your pick, or go all three in this lunchtime delight right here.

Source: Bondi Harvest

11. What about broccoli?

Interestingly enough, broccoli rabe isn’t actually related to broccoli – it’s a part of the radish family, and makes an excellent alternative to tomatoes for bread topping purposes. This recipe for broccoli rabe bruschetta skips on the acidity from tomatoes, and instead brings a more refined, earthier flavour to the fore.

Source: Murdoch Books