CROSTINI WITH BASIL, MOZZARELLA AND TOMATOES
ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 large plum tomatoes
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves
- 1 crusty baguette
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
directions
-
1
Peel and mince garlic
-
2
Stir garlic into olive oil and let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. Cut tomatoes in quarters lengthwise and remove seeds
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3
Dice tomatoes
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4
Stack the basil leaves and dice
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5
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-
6
Slice baguette on a diagonal into 20 slices, each about 1/2-inch thick
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7
Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and brush one side with the garlic oil
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8
Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly toasted
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9
Preheat broiler
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10
Drain mozzarella cheese and cut into 10 thin slices; cut slices in half to make 20 pieces
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11
Arrange a slice of cheese on each piece of bread
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12
Broil just until cheese softens - it won't melt like regular mozzarella
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13
Top Crostini with tomatoes, basil and pine nuts and serve.