During our summers at our grandmother’s in the Tuscan countryside, my siblings and I were playing outdoors for most of the day. Italian grandmothers are pretty authoritarian, especially when it comes to feeding their growing grandkids. Nonna carefully monitored each meal, making sure we were fed the freshest food. Needless to say, everything was made from scratch.

Given the fact that every day we spent many hours outdoors, nonna made sure that in the middle of the afternoon, between lunch and dinner, we were given a healthy merenda (snack), to support the growth of our young bodies, constantly on the move.

Merenda is a common daily tradition in Italy, but in the country those were occasions to witness the preparation of simply made, delicious treats.

One of our favorite merende (plural) was the fregata (rubbed slice). We loved it because it was delicious, but also because we could actually prepare it by ourselves. Thick slices of rustic Tuscan bread were grilled (by a grown up) on embers in the large kitchen hearth. Then we were each given a plate (not that much actually stayed into it for long anyway…), half a clove of garlic and between a quarter and a half of a ripe tomato (depending on size). And here the fun started! Each of us was to rub, first the garlic then the tomato, lacerating it, on the grilled slice of bread. We then would dress it with some virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. So yummy!

In the States I went to one of my kids’ kindergarten classes to show how to make fregata. What fun the children had! We all had! And we all loved every morsel of it!

We still call it fregata because that is how it originated, but the recipe is famous now in Italian restaurants as bruschetta. In many cases, instead of rubbing the tomato on the bread, like described before, the slices are coated with tomatoes cut into small cubes, and mixed with torn basil leaves. Everything is dressed with oil and salt. Some people also add a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

This is a merenda that children can prepare themselves. Simply hand them the grilled (or toasted) slice of bread, garlic, and a half of a ripe tomato (if you are the brave kind). Or prepare beforehand the chopped tomatoes mixed with torn basil leaves, dressing them with some oil and salt. The children will have fun rubbing the garlic on their bread, and either lacerating the tomato on their slice with gusto, or loading the bread with the tomato cubes! De-licious!

All you need is:

bread (best if Italian rustic or French country) cut into slices

extra virgin olive oil (best if cold pressed)

ripe tomatoes, either cut into a quarter or a half to be rubbed on the bread (for the fearless grown up), or in small cubes

garlic cloves

basil leaves, better if torn by hand

salt

I am looking forward to sharing more morsels with you again on Tuesday. Enjoy the week-end.