Spring Garlic Bruschetta

Spring garlic, it seems, is here one minute and gone the next.  I had several heads of it in my CSA basket last week, and by the time I had a moment to post this recipe, it may already be gone.  But if you can get your hands on some and don't know what to do with it, please try this recipe -- it's fresh, healthy and absolutely delicious.

I was ordering dinner recently from a small italian restaurant near me, and when I looked at the menu to choose what I wanted, I remembered all their bruschetta options.  At a few dollars a slice, you could try everything from sausage to artichoke bruchetta, most of which came slathered with delicious, melted cheese.

But it made me think more broadly about what we'd consider "bruschetta," and since I pretty much love anything that involves bread and tomatoes, it was on my radar when I picked up our CSA basket.  When I saw these beautiful cloves of young garlic, everything clicked all at once.  Spring garlic is much more mild than the garlic you find in the grocery store, almost a mix between garlic and an onion, with a flavor all its own.  It's delicious and subtle enough that you want to use it generously, and let its flavor shine.

So make this before it's too late!  But even if your spring garlic season has passed, don't worry -- there will be plenty of delicious, fleeting summer recipes in the next few months.  Enjoy them while you can!

Spring Garlic Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS

1 demi baguette, cut into 12 1/2" slices

3 plum tomatos or tomatoes on the vine, seeds scraped out (don't worry if some remain)

4 spring garlic cloves, outer layers peeled away if necessary

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt

Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Roast the spring garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes. Allow to cook, and chop roughly. Dice the tomatoes into similarly-sized pieces, and mix with the garlic and olive oil. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon the mixture onto the slices of baguette, and cook at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until the bread has browned on the edges. Serve warm.