Bruschetta

Bruschetta (properly pronounced bru-sketta) is an Italian appetizer. A really good friend of mine taught me how to make bruschetta and I thought that this is a great recipe to share for summer.  Bruschetta is a simple yet, flavorful dish that is wonderful.   Bruschetta combines a tomato's flavor with the sweet and pungent basil and a slight onion taste. Make sure your hands are really clean, because you will be touching the tomatoes a lot. I'm not sure how many this serves.
Ingredients:
1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes. You can also use 5 medium/large Roma tomatoes. Scoop out the seeds and dice the tomato into small pieces.
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3-3/4 of a small yellow or white onion, diced finely
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
1/3-1/2 cup (packed) sweet basil leaves, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, crushed slightly (optional). Crush a few minutes before serving.
Goat cheese, softened
Italian or French bread sliced at least 1/2 inch slices or more. Unless the width of your bread is small, you should cut each slice in half for the perfect bite-sized pieces.

1. Cut each grape or cherry tomato with a serrated knife lengthwise and then slice each half into three pieces, cutting crosswise. Put the diced tomatoes in a colander and salt them. Evenly toss the salt and tomatoes with your hands. Let the tomatoes rest for 10 minutes. This draws out the water in the tomatoes and increases the tomatoes' flavor.
2. After the 10 minutes have passed, firmly squeeze the tomatoes to remove even more water. Double line paper towels and place the squeezed tomatoes in the center. Wrap the paper towels up like a burrito and gently press the tomatoes in the "burrito".  
3. In a medium bowl, add in all of the ingredients except the garlic, goat cheese, and bread. Gently mixed everything until well combined. Taste the mixture and see if you need more salt, olive oil, or white balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate this mixture in a shallow container 1-2 hours, or longer. Do not skip the refrigeration process. Keep the mixture in the refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Putting together the Bruschetta: Broil your bread in the oven for about 1 minute or until toasted. Lightly rub each toasted piece of bread with garlic, then apply a thin layer of goat cheese and put as much or as little of the tomato mixture on top. Serve immediately.