Just about any summer cocktail party can use a platter of bruschetta. This appetizer comes together in just minutes, making it easy on the host. It’s a great way to show off tomatoes when they are ripe and in season, whether they came from your garden, the farmer’s market, or the grocery.

This is one of those simple dishes that depends on the quality of the ingredients. The tomatoes have to be completely ripe; nothing is worse than a bruschetta with hard, flavorless out-of-season tomatoes. As the tomatoes marinate briefly in the red wine, salt, and olive oil, they will release some of their liquid. Save it! This is an excellent base for salad dressing, or to use as a marinade for meat or seafood. It’s also lovely served as a dipping sauce for more bread, when you’ve eaten all the bruschetta but have some bread left to munch on.

Speaking of that bread; grill it to create the most flavor, but otherwise, it will toast up nicely in a pan on the stove or in the oven. Rubbing it with a garlic clove after it toasts is a classic Italian move; the rough surface of the toast acts as a grater for the garlic. Be gentle; if you apply too much pressure to the garlic while rubbing it on the toast it your bruschetta will taste like garlic and little else. Go easy — and then, enjoy this almost effortless snack all summer long.