So, I looked for a definition of each. Here is what I found.
Definitions of bruschetta on the Web
- Bruschetta should be pronounced BROO-sketuh or brus-ket-a; it is derived from Italian “bruscare” meaning “to toast” or “to roast over coals.”
dictionary.reference.com/features/wordtraveler08.html - Bruschetta is toasted bread slices brushed with garlic and olive oil. Served as an appetizer with a variety of toppings.
www.tyson.com/Recipes/Controls/ViewTerms.aspx - Bruschetta is a grilled bread appetizer, native to Italy, that is sprinkled or rubbed with olive oil and garlic, and then topped with such things as salt, garlic, basil, chopped tomatoes or tomato paste, anchovies, olives, mushrooms, and occasionally cheese.
www.gardenplate.com/glossary - Bruschetta is an appetizer on a base of a thin toasted slices of Italian or French bread. Also called crostini.
www.dieli.net/SicilyPage/RecipesPage/glossary.html - Bruschetta is a food originating in central Italy during the 15th century. It consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Variations may include toppings of spicy red pepper, tomato, vegetables and/or cheese. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetizer.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruschetta
Bruschetta is a Tuscan dish designed to show off the new season’s oil at the time of the olive harvest. Traditionally, when olives were taken to the local mill for pressing, the growers typically took some country bread with them. There was usually a small fireplace burning in the corner of the pressing room, and when the oil emerged from the press, the grower toasted a bit of the bread on the fire to sample the oil.
A slightly different description of Bruschetta, toasted bread often rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, is a way to salvage bread that is going stale by adding oil and seasonings. Sometimes the bread is entirely immersed in oil, but usually the oil is poured on the top after the bread is rubbed with a garlic clove. In recent years adding toppings, particularly chopped onions and tomatoes, has become popular in restaurants.
The meaning of the word has changed so that now some Americans use the word “bruschetta” to refer to the topping itself, not the dish. Many grocery stores in the United States sell bottled “bruschetta,” which is simply tomatoes, onion, garlic and other herbs.
The food we know today topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil, mozarella is a recent adaptation which takes advantage of the healthy aspects of olive oil.
- Crostini are small, thin slices of toasted bread usually brushed with olive oil.
www.scec.com.au/services/food_beverage/glossary.cfm - Crostini are traditionally festive Italian appetizers. Baguette-style bread is thinly sliced and lightly toasted and then topped, usually with a moist spreadable pâté made from a variety of ingredients such as mushrooms, chicken livers, capers, garlic and ham.
www.goodcookingtonight.co.uk/GlossaryC.htm - In Italian, “crostini” means “little toasts,” and it is a very accurate description of the food. Crostini are made by thinly slicing bread, typically plain white bread, and toasting or grilling so that it becomes crispy. The crostini may be drizzled with olive oil and salt and served plain, or they may be dressed with an assortment of toppings and used as appetizers or garnishes on foods like soups. Crostini are very easy to make at home, and they can also be purchased, packaged, at many grocers and import stores.
Crostini are often used for the bases of appetizers, as in the case of crostini grilled with heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, for example. Sometimes, crostini is served as a side dish with foods like steak tartare. Crostini may also be floated on soups, and is sometimes toasted with various cheeses in this instance. In this sense, crostini can be used like croutons.
To make crostini, many cooks use custom made loaves which make perfectly sized crostini. They can also be made from any type of Italian bread. Crostini are bite-sized and designed to be held in the hand. The bread is sliced very thinly, and the slices are grilled or toasted in an oven before being brushed with olive oil.
Once prepared, crostini can be stored in an airtight container until they are needed. They can also be served plain and warm, or they can be baked again with toppings and served hot or cold as appetizers. Cold crostini may also be spread with things like cheese and pate, creating an appetizer similar to the canape.
Because they are thin and toasted, crostini tend to be very hard. When they are used like croutons in soup, the soup tends to soften them, but they retain a bready texture even with soaking, so that they will not dissolve entirely into the soap. Other sauces and dressing may soften crostini slightly, making them easier to eat. Since crostini hold their consistency well, they make a good base for appetizers being made ahead of time, since they should not become soggy. If the crostini are going to be served warm, the ingredients can be assembled beforehand so that the crostini are ready to slide into an oven at the last minute.
CROSTINI OR BRUCHETTA
Makes about 42 – 64 (Depending on Thickness)
There are some dips and spreads that taste better with toasted bread than crackers. Crostini or Bruchetta are very easy and quick to make. From what I can determine, the difference between the two is the thickness, bruchetta being the thickest, and that really depends on the topping or dip you are serving. This recipe is basic. You might want to add other seasonings.
2 French bread baguettes, about 3 inches in diameter and 16 inches long
4 tablespoons olive oil (or use a good-quality olive oil spray)
Fresh garlic cloves, halved
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the baguettes into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices for Crostini, 1/2 to 3/4 inch for Bruchetta. Brush or spray one side with the oil. Place on cookie sheets. Brush or spray the top. Place in oven and bake until lightly browned and toasted, about 6 to 10 minutes. (Thicker slices should be baked at a slightly lower temperature, requiring more time until browned.) Turn the trays halfway through baking to ensure even toasting. Remove from oven. Rub each piece with the cut side of the garlic halves while toasts are still hot. Use warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be wrapped in foil and kept at room temperature for several days, then refreshed briefly in the microwave before using.
Note: In a pinch, sprinkle bread with garlic powder before toasting and omit the garlic rub. If you want, thicker slices can be prepared on a grill or grill pan. Use the same method, turning the slices when browned, and being careful not to burn.
Crostini make a tasty accompaniment to the warm Cheesy Artichoke-Crab Dip and the Buffalo Chicken Dip in the previous posts.
Healthy Watkins Grapeseed Oils can be substituted for the olive oil when making homemade bruschetta or crostini.
Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/jan15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney
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