Bringing Italy Home
One of the highlights of traveling to Italy is the food. No matter the region, it is exceptional. So often, with the simplest of ingredients, they create masterpieces. Once home, it becomes even more apparent that there is something unique in its cuisine, from the pizza to the pasta. One of the most remarkable differences is a core ingredient of Italian cuisine, the tomato. The flavor, the color, the smell, and the juiciness are hard to capture once home. One of our favorite dishes in Italy is fresh Tomato bruschetta. Upon returning home from our most recent travels, Joelle found herself extolling the wonders of bruschetta with her family and friends, making her miss Italy all the more.
To capture some of that magic, Joelle attempted to replicate it with the Tomato Balsamic Bruschetta we enjoyed so much. The biggest challenge is finding good tomatoes. It wasn’t as complicated as expected; she found fresh mini Marzano Roma tomatoes at Trader Joe’s. They were inexpensive, and as close as you could have imagined, you could get to real Italy tomatoes.
The Tomato and Balsamic Bruschetta was a massive hit with everyone, and it is the perfect appetizer. Even the one-year-old could not get enough of it, though he already was a fan of tomatoes. It motivated us to start a recipe page on the blog. This is our first recipe to launch the page.
Want to learn more about Italian tomatoes? Check out this Guide to Italian Tomatoes
The Tomato Balsamic Bruschetta recipe that follows is simple and quick to make. Many of the ingredients can be increased or decreased based on your audience. Joelle added more basil and crushed red pepper flakes to hers. It is an easy recipe to experiment with as well.
Please let us know how it went and what you did to make it your own. As we add more recipes, if you have any, you brought home from your travels, email them or share a link in the comment below. We may try it out and even feature it in a future entry.
In the meantime, buon appetito!
Tomato Balsamic Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 20 ounces fresh and well ripened plum tomatoes I used Trader Joe’s Mini San Marzano Plum tomatoes which were exceptional quality and reminded me of the tomatoes in Italy
- 1/2 cup Coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/2 cup sweet onion
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesean cheese Ideally freshly shredded
- 1 1/2-2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fine black pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- fine kosher salt to desired taste
- 1 full size french baquette sliced, lightly brushed with olive oil and rubbed with sliced garlic and toasted in the oven for about 5 minutes or to desired crispness.
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, parmesan cheese, and onion. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Refridgerate.
- Ideally make 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
- Serve in a bowl surrounded with sliced toasted baguette slices for an elegant presentation. Offer both a slotted and regular serving spoon as some like the juices and others may like it drier.
Notes
Enjoy your little piece of Italy!
Considering an Italian adventure? Check out our Italy Travel Guide
© 2023 Wanderers Compass All Rights Reserved
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Our Recommended Travel Resources
Squaremouth.com
Our favorite travel insurance site!
If you book a trip, don’t forget to get travel insurance within 14 days of your first booking. We could not be stronger advocates of being well-insured. Not just for the little stuff but the big things like medical emergencies. We never leave home without it. Over the years, we have used many sites but have now found our go-to place. Squaremouth.com does a fantastic job; it has a user-friendly interface, uses top-rated and reputable insurance carriers, and most policies cover COVID-19 medical issues and cancellations. They also mediate on your behalf if you have problems with your policy.
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Expedia is a US-based company whose mission is to power global travel for everyone and everywhere. Whether planning a family vacation, booking for business, or organizing the trip of a lifetime, they are a fantastic resource. Wanderers Compass focuses on independent travel, and using sites like Expedia makes that possible. Every aspect of travel you need, from airfare, accommodations, rental car, and cruises to activities to do at your destination, can be booked on Expedia.
Booking.com
Hotels, Home rentals, BNBs, Flights, and other Transportation & Tours
Booking.com connects millions of travelers to memorable experiences, various transportation options, and incredible places to stay – from homes to hotels and much more. It is one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces for established brands and entrepreneurs of all sizes.
We always check Expedia and Booking.com to verify prices. At times, one is sold out of rooms while another at the same place has rooms. As well we often find some European hotels, especially smaller ones, on Booking.com but not on Expedia. It could be they are a Europe-based company. Try both before booking accommodations.
Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO)
Are you traveling with a family or having an extended stay at your destination?
With over 2 million bookable vacation rentals, VRBO connects homeowners with families and vacationers looking for something more than a hotel for their trip. The VRBO community offers families or groups various rental property types such as condos, cabins, lake rentals, beach houses, etc.
VRBO is under the Expedia group ownership now, which many were worried about, but it hasn’t panned out to be a concern. It is a massive network with access to all lodging forms should issues arise. Joelle has used VRBO for many years with her family with no problems.
Viator
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Amazon.com
An excellent source for travel essentials and guides
We now have our own Amazon Storefront with all our favorite travel accessories and gear in one place. Check out our travel store at the link below.
Wanderers Compass Amazon Storefront
Amazon is one of the most comprehensive online shopping sources in the world. On behalf of their customers, teams worldwide provide lower prices, better selection, and rapid delivery. They offer a vast inventory, and their 1.7 million small and medium businesses worldwide selling on Amazon.com offer extensive options to customers.
We buy most of our travel books, accessories, and luggage from Amazon. We have ordered up to two days before travel and get what we need.
Transportation
Welcome Pick-ups
(Airport and sightseeing service)
A global leader in ground transportation for travelers. They help hundreds of companies worldwide enhance their services and boost their revenue with our 5-star ride experiences and hassle-free automation.
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Rail Europe
Discover Europe by Train
Rail Europe sells train and bus tickets for travel across Europe. They cover 24 countries, 105 rail operations, and 20,000 stations. They are the official rail and bus operations agents in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Rail Europe continues to add coverage all the time.
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Travel documentation services
PhotoAiD
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When traveling, you often need to apply for official documents such as a passport, ID, and different kinds of licenses or cards. Those applications require a picture that must meet specific conditions to be accepted, depending on the country. Now, it is possible to take this picture at home without the help of a professional photographer. The PhotoAiD app allows you to take the perfect biometric photo that will be guaranteed by yourself without leaving your home.
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