Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil Bruschetta

I hosted a dinner at my place and I decided to cook the same pasta I always cook (Cajun Shrimp Alfredo). But I wanted to complement it with an appetizer so I decided to make a simple bruschetta.

Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 1 (32-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and spun dry
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large French baguettes, sliced 1-inch thick (about 36 slices)
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven and melt cheese slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece.

Review

This recipe is incredibly simple for how tasty and classy of an appetizer this can be. It says to use canned tomatoes, which I must admit made me a little skeptical, but it turned out really delicious. The toasted French bed with the mozzarella really sets it off, especially when it's right out of the oven. There were a few mistakes I made, though, since I was in a rush. Make sure to toast the bread first then put the cheese on after to melt it. Since I put the cheese on right away with some of them, the bread didn't have the crunch that makes it good. Also, make sure the liquid is drained as much as possible from the can so that it maintains a good consistency and color. I do want to try it with fresh tomatoes though. I'm sure it would make it taste even better. A friend, James, also suggested putting Parmigiano-Reggiano on top as well. All in all, a great appetizer.