Oven-Dried Tomato & Fresh Basil Crostini

by Chef Kathy Duffy

Toasted baguette crostini with pesto, oven-dried tomato, fresh basil and mozzarella

Makes 4 to 6 servings, as an hors d'oeuvre or an accompaniment to soup or salad

Ingredients

• 1 baguette, cut into 24 slices, approximately 1/4-inch thick
• 24 Boconcini (individual mini-mozzarella balls), cut in half
• 24 fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
• 24 oven-dried plum-tomato halves
• About 1/4 cup pesto (basil/garlic/olive oil purée), may also be purchased ready-made
• dried oregano

Directions

1. Preheat broiler (a toaster oven may be used instead of broiler), placing the oven rack as close to the broiler as possible.
2. Place the baguette slices on a cookie sheet and broil till golden brown. Turn the slices over and toast on the other side. Watch carefully — they will only take a few minutes! (Alternatively, these may be made a few days ahead and kept in an air-tight container.)
3. To assemble, use a pastry brush or small knife to spread a small amount of pesto on one side of each baguette slice. Then place one half of a boconicini cut-side down on top of the pesto. Next, place a basil leaf on top of the boconcini, followed by a dried tomato half — so that it's "standing up." Finally, place the other half of the boconcini on top of the tomato and sprinkle with dried oregano.

Also see our how-to article on Drying Tomatoes in our Primers & Projects section.

This segment appears in show #2719.

Recipe courtesy of Kathy Duffy

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