This irresistible Smoked Salmon Bruschetta has all the colours of Christmas and it’s ready to impress by sitting pretty on your table

Bruschetta with smoked salmon

BRU’SKETTA BRU’SKETTA!!!!! I love saying this over and over again because it makes me feel smart that I can pronounce an Italian word. My smugness might be misplaced as I may be saying it completely wrong.

This Smoked Salmon Bruschetta is part of my recent Christmas recipes as it’s a tasty finger food to share amongst family and friends. Not to mention the colours of the bruschetta are vibrant and very Christmasy.

As our Christmas is in summer, this cold dish hits the spot with the freshness of the tomatoes and the basil. A perfect little snack for our summer holidays!

This Christmas I have pimped up my bruschetta by adding smoked salmon, marinated tomatoes, baby capers and drizzled it with balsamic glaze.

The result is fantastic, the smoked fitted in seamlessly without compromising the good old bruschetta we all know and love. The salmon added oomph to the bruschetta and if I dare say it, makes it more interesting.

However, not everyone loves salmon but may love bruschetta. No need to worry, those people won’t miss out as we can cater for them too! All we need to do is put out the bread, salmon and the marinated tomatoes separately on the table and let our guest serve themselves. Yay, more drinking and less hosting for us!

Also, allowing the guests to top up their own bruschetta before eating will prevent the bread from going soggy from the tomatoes. Bruschetta is already challenging to eat daintily, so I am pretty sure nobody wants to take on a sloppy Bruschetta in public.

My story behind Bruschetta

Years back when I was working in finance I met Carrie, a colleague and a friend. She invited me and a few other workmates to her holiday house owned by her parents for a weekend away.

That weekend I met Carrie’s bestie Olga for the first time, a feisty patriotic Italian. Olga doesn’t blend with the crowd on purpose and is not a people pleaser, but she is bloody hilarious.

During our stay, our group went out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant. Most of us ordered pizza and pasta but not Olga, who was sitting next to me at the time.

In front of her was two slices of toast topped with tomatoes and a small bowl with more tomatoes. Ignorant me thought she was on a diet and said something like ‘you’re so healthy’. Olga quickly corrected me and said ‘no, I love bruschetta’ and that’s when I learned that tomato on toast had a very fancy name!

Olga also explained that pasta and pizza in most restaurants were not authentic. She got heated and told me that seeing pineapple on pizza is insulting to her culture. This was awkward because I was munching on a supreme pizza with pineapple at that time!

After venting, Olga asked me to try her dish. I hesitated as I as I wasn’t a big fan of raw tomatoes. So to avoid further offending her, I scooped a small spoonful and tried it. Luckily, I didn’t have to pretend I loved it because I actually did! the tomatoes were sweet, juicy and full of flavour.

Since then, I’ve been a big fan of bruschetta and Olga. Fiesty Olga became one of my dearest friends, she was a bridesmaid at my wedding.

What is Bruschetta?

If you were to answer an Italian toast with tomatoes on top I’ll still give you full points. Traditionally the toppings for bruschetta in Italy can vary from cured meats to veggies but the most popular one served here is tomato bruschetta.

Olga once told me that Bruschetta and polenta were considered peasant food once upon a time in Italy. The bread that was used to make Bruschetta was stale and hard. What a fun fact to know as bruschetta and polenta are currently available to order in hip cafes and restaurants!

The authentic Italian tomato-based bruschetta simply had tomatoes, fresh basil and salt. The bread slices are brushed with extra virgin olive oil and grilled, then the slices are rubbed in raw pieces of garlic.

Authentic bruschetta is simple but absolutely delicious if quality ingredients are used. This means using a quality bottle of extra virgin olive oil and sweet red ripe tomatoes.

Many places here serve tomato bruschetta with added ingredients such as onion, lemon, red or balsamic vinegar and balsamic glaze. I love both, the original and the tweaks, but I’ll keep this confession from Olga!

Ingredients needed for Smoked Salmon Bruschetta

Tomatoes – Any variety of tomatoes will work for bruschetta, even cherry tomatoes. If possible try to avoid young tart tomatoes and aim for red ripe ones. I used vine-ripened tomatoes on this occasion as they were on sale and they looked so pretty!

Bread – Bruschetta is the best on crusty and chewy bread that is not too soft as the tomatoes will make it soggy quickly. Freshly baked Sourdough, Pane Di Casa or Ciabatta are good choices.

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Smoked salmon – Over here you’ll find smoked salmon in the chilled section of the supermarket. Smoked salmon usually has two varieties to choose from. A salmon fillet that looks cooked (nope) and thinly sliced salmon on a cardboard tray that looks raw (get this one!).

Garlic – A crushed clove will go into the tomato marinade and two cloves will be used to rub on the grilled bread slices.

Balsamic glaze (optional) – You can usually find balsamic glaze in the vinegar section of the supermarket. It’s commonly used for drizzling over food and has a sweet, slightly tangy balsamic vinegar taste.

How to make Smoked Salmon Bruschetta

Step-by-step guide with photos

Marinate the tomatoes

Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, this is to reduce the water content that will come out of the tomatoes. Dice the tomatoes in small cubes and place it in a large bowl, add crushed garlic, onion, basil, capers, vinegar and olive oil. Mix gently and set aside for the flavours to develop.

Grill the bread

Heat up the grill on medium to high heat. Slice the bread loaf into approximately 1cm in thickness, lightly brush one side with olive oil. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until evenly toasted.

Rub garlic on the bread

Cut the two cloves of garlic in half and use it to rub against the bread on the olive oil side.

Drain excess marinade

Using a sieve or a steaming basket with holes, drain the excess marinade as this will cause the bread to go soggy quickly.

Serve the Bruschetta

Assemble the bruschetta for your guests beforehand. Lay down a slice of salmon on top of the olive oil and garlic side of the bread. Add a few spoonfuls of the tomatoes and (if using) garnish with basil leaves, drizzle lightly with extra virgin oil and balsamic glaze.

Allow guests to serve themselves. Place the bread, salmon and tomatoes on a separate plate/bowl. This method is great as your guests can choose to skip the salmon, it also prevents the bread from becoming soggy.

This recipe makes approximately 12 slices.

Once the tomato topping has been added to the grilled bread eat immediately as the bread will start to go soggy. The tomatoes shouldn’t be made in advance as it will become mushy.

Whilst you’re here why not check out my other Christmas recipes CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BROWNIES, PRAWN HALLOUMI WATERMELON SALAD and GINGER BANANA BREAD

Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.

A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.

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Cheers (I’ll drink to that) – Cat Tre