Bruschette

Traditional Italian food is often not particularly creative. Unlike their French friends across the pond, the Italians never resorted to stewing rats and using eggs and butter in ever possible permutation to create what we now call Haute Cuisine. Instead, the Italians have almost always relied on the vegetables (and occasionally animals) that were around them. There are a few notable exceptions (osso bucco), but Italian cuisine is at its purest when the ingredients are fresh, simple, and perfectly balanced.

Jamie starts off with bruschette (little toasts) and so will I. While there's no wrong way to make these bite size yummies, I've decided to lean heavily on the vegetable side of things having come back from the pork, sausage, and cheese world of Spain. Don't get me wrong, modern Spanish tapas has evolved into a near art form of the perfect bite, but for now I'll do it like the nonna I never had: tomato & basil, eggplant & mint, ricotta & olive.