Not-so-Heavy Apps: Tomato and Sweet Onion Bruschetta Topping

When I’m having people over, I often like to serve a bunch of fancy-ish snacks (or as we would call it in the events world, “heavy apps,” but I’ve always thought that sounded gross) rather than a full meal. It’s less intimidating for you as a host and your guests as… well, guests. Unless you’re specifically throwing a full-on dinner party, a big plated meal can be kind of hard to stomach—no pun intended—compared to grazing on some indulgent snacks and sipping wine while watching a movie or whatever.

It is in this mindset that I present my 100% easiest bruschetta recipe ever. Have a loaf of nice bread and want to put more than butter on top of it? Done and done. This one almost isn’t a full-blown recipe… it’s that simple. But don’t tell your friends that, and they’ll never be the wiser.

Sweet Onion & Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

loaf of your favorite artisan bread
2 fresh tomatoes on the vine
1 sweet Vidalia onion (or whatever your region’s version of a big, mellow, sweet yellow onion is.)
3 tbsp good quality olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped rosemary
2 tsp chopped oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
fresh cracked black pepper & kosher salt

Chop your onion and tomato into rough half-inch cubes.

Heat up the olive oil in a small-medium skillet over medium heat. Once it’s thin and shimmery, add the onion and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let it cook down until it becomes translucent and just begins to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and garlic, then turn the heat up to medium-high – while the combination will first look watery, as the tomatoes cook down their juices will thicken until everything has emulsified together. Yum. Add in the herbs and seasonings. Feel free to add more to taste.

Turn the skillet down to low while you slice your bread (and toast it if you prefer) and set up the table. You can top each piece of bread individually, but I like to keep it simple and lazy (or uh… let’s call it “rustic”) and just serve the warm topping in a bowl with a serving spoon and let everyone make their own bruschetta. I recommend serving with a nice wedge of soft blue cheese for everyone to spread on their bread before applying the topping. It’s such a tasty combo.

Oh, and whether making heavy apps or light ones, check out the array of eco-friendly disposable dishware at restaurantware.com