How Do I Prepare Bread for Bruschetta?

To prepare bread for bruschetta you need to choose the right type of bread, and then slice it to the correct thickness. You could use olive oil on just one side of each slice or on both sides, and then place the slices in the oven at 450 degrees F (about 230 degrees C). The bread should toast for approximately five minutes, or until golden. If you want to do it the traditional way, you could toast the bread in a griddle pan for approximately one minute and then mark the surface of one side with a knife. Next, rub the bread with a garlic clove to flavor it, drizzle the bread with olive oil, and sprinkle on salt to finish.

The best bread for bruschetta is an Italian or French loaf. Choose a loaf of bread that has a firm, thick crust and a firm consistency as well. You can, of course, use other types of bread, but Italian or French loaves are used most often.

Slice the bread for bruschetta the correct way. The traditional way is to slice the bread into pieces that are about 0.5 inch (about 1.25 cm) thick. It's also best to slice the bread diagonally because it adds aesthetic appeal.

Olive oil is most often used to prepare bread for bruschetta, and you have the option of oiling the bread before or after toasting. If you decide to do it beforehand, you could oil both or just one side of the bread. It is best to use a pastry brush to brush the oil onto the bread, but you can also drizzle the oil.

The bread slices should be placed on a baking pan on the top rack in a preheated oven. Set the oven to approximately 450 degrees F (about 230 degrees C), and let the bread bake for between five and six minutes. A handy tip is to make sure that the oven rack is set at the top before you preheat the oven because it's harder to move the oven rack when it's hot.

Traditionally, bread for bruschetta is toasted on a griddle pan. If you use this technique there's no need to apply olive oil beforehand. Toast the bread for a minute on each side, or until griddle marks appear, and then slice one side lightly with a knife. Once the surface is roughened, you can rub a peeled garlic clove over the surface a few times to give it flavor. Then drizzle some olive oil over the toasted slices, and finish with a light sprinkling of salt.

If you would prefer to give the bread for bruschetta a garlic flavor without rubbing it with garlic, you can make your own garlic olive oil by peeling a few cloves of garlic and storing them in a container of olive oil. The cloves will be preserved and will flavor the oil, which can be brushed or drizzled onto the bread in place of plain olive oil.