Who wouldn’t love to sit in the sun at an outdoor café in Italy sipping a cool wine and eating a favorite Italian meal? Unfortunately, Italy is closed, and we can’t leave our houses but that doesn’t mean we can’t create a bit of Italy ourselves. Tuscan Women Cook is about celebrating the food and culture of the Tuscan region of Italy ensconced in the charming village of Montefollonico. Check out this quick and easy recipe to bring that Italian culinary spirit to your home.

Coleen Kirnan and Rhonda Vilardo, the owners, and hosts of Tuscan Women Cook, are bringing a bit of Italy to home kitchens during our time of quarantine.

So at the end of a long day of staying inside, unwind maybe with a glass of Italian wine and enjoy this easy recipe from the heart of Italy.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil
Serves 4-6.

Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with a mixture of tomato and basil. It is perfect for using summer tomatoes for a simple appetizer or side dish.

This is a great recipe for an old, not stale, baguette. Dry the baguette in the oven if necessary.  Save any leftover tomato mixture for the base of a delicious tomato soup.Ingredients:
1 baguette, dried, sliced ¼-inch on the bias
4 garlic cloves, two minced and two sliced for the bread
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or diced, lightly squeezed to remove seeds and excess water
4-5 large basil leaves, chiffonade cut
1 small fresh or dried pepperoncino or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup or more of quality extra-virgin olive oil

Mix the tomatoes, minced garlic, pepperoncino, basil, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for one hour to allow the flavors to meld together.

Lightly grill or toast the bread slices. Peel and slice the remaining garlic cloves. Lightly run the sliced garlic over the surface of the bread.

Place bread on a serving plate and cover each with the tomato mixture. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

During each day of Tuscan Women Cook’s week-long program, their group of 18 participants learn to cook authentic Italian recipes from some of the best cooks in all of Italy…the local grandmothers, or “nonnas.” These extraordinary women teach their cooking classes sharing family recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.

And after a day of cooking, eating, and wine tasting, participants are taken on shopping and sightseeing trips in the many beautiful villages and towns of Tuscany, with maybe a little more wine tasting and afternoon gelato sampling, ending each day with a memorable gourmet dinner in the region’s top locales.

For more information on Tuscan Women Cook, visit their website, www.TuscanWomenCook.com.
(Recipe and photo reprinted with permission of www.TuscanWomenCook.com)