Tomato Mozzarella & Chilli Bruschetta

This is one of the quickest and easiest Italian fast food recipes on the planet. It's tasty, moorish and extremely popular, especially as a starter before a main course or as a simple appetizer. The origins of Bruschetta are unclear but it was probably the Romans who came up with the basic idea of using the first press of olive oil with bread, which is very palatable.

If you're dinning at a Trattoria (restaurant) in Italy, you will often find a small bowl of olive oil and a basket of fresh bread are served to you with a glass of good wine, while you peruse the menu. How perfectly civilised is that?

Italians eat it for lunch and if you order it as an anti pasto which literally means before the meal, make sure it's a small portion as usually in Italy there are four courses to manage. Bruschetta for 4 with a preparation time of 15 minutes and a cooking time of 5 minutes, it couldn't be simpler.

You'll need:

4 Slices of Ciabatta or country style bread

4 Ripe vine tomatoes

12 slices of Mozzarella cheese

1 Red chilli pepper, de-seeded & thinly sliced, or a little ready made chilli paste

1 Garlic clove

Oregano, fresh if possible

Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Slice the tomatoes & mozzarella thinly
Use a grill and toast the bread lightly on both sides, drizzle over a little oil.
and rub the garlic clove over the oil.
Arrange the tomato & mozzarella on the bread slightly overlapping.
Season with salt, oregano, olive oil.
Finally, sprinkle chilli pepper over top and enjoy!