You Bettah Brushcetta

Name: You Bettah Brushcetta
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 4 tablespoons extra virgin oil (3 T. + 1 T.); ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper; ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 8 slices ciabatta or French bread (3/4-inch thick); 4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella; 8 small basil leaves

Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 tablespoons extra virgin oil (3 T. + 1 T.)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 slices ciabatta or French bread (3/4-inch thick)
4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella
8 small basil leaves

Instructions

Heat the oven (with the oven rack in middle) to 375°. Put the tomatoes into a medium ovenproof skillet, small baking dish, or small rimmed sheet pan. Smash the garlic (give them a good whack so you get small pieces). Peel. Add to the skillet along with 3 tablespoons of the oil, the salt, red pepper, and black pepper (about 6 turns on pepper mill). Stir to combine everything. Roast until the tomatoes start to burst and the garlic is soft, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a serrated knife, cut the ciabatta into 8 (¾-inch) thick slices (save the rest for another use). Place on a sheet pan and brush both sides with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Once the tomatoes are done and out of the oven, heat the broiler and raise the oven rack to about 4 inches from the top (be careful of the hot rack!). Broil the bread until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Don’t take your eyes off these babies because they can burn in a second.

Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and place on the warm toasts. Stir the basil into the tomatoes and spoon over mozzarella.

step by step

/01/

Heat the oven (with the oven rack in middle) to 375°. Smash the garlic (give them a good whack so you get small pieces). Peel.

/02/

Put tomatoes into skillet along with the garlic, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the salt, red pepper, and black pepper; toss. Roast until the tomatoes start to burst, 30 to 35 minutes.

/03/

Cut the ciabatta into 8 (¾-inch) thick slices. Place on a sheet pan and brush both sides with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.