BRUSCHETTA (ITALIAN) Sure, you can make bruschetta in the toaster oven, but it's by far the best when you char your toast on the grill. I turned out this rendition the other night, using a crusty Italian loaf and our basic summer "salsa cruda." Make up a "salsa cruda" by chopping one or two fresh, ripe tomatoes into 1/4-inch dice. Put them in a bowl, add salt and pepper and about a dozen finely sliced fresh basil leaves. Smash a garlic clove in a small bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside to steep with the garlic. Slice a fat, crusty Italian loaf into a half-dozen rounds about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick, and toast them on the grill over hot coals, a couple of minutes on each side, until they're crisp and golden. Put the toast rounds on a plate, and rub their tops all over with a smashed garlic clove. Smear the garlic-scented olive oil on the bread with a paper towel. Spoon the salsa cruda equally over each bread round, and serve. Kind of a mess to eat -- I think thinner toast rounds might be more appropriate for elegant dining -- but it's mighty tasty this way.
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