As many of you know, I love to entertain. And the past two nights we’ve enjoyed the company of friends here in Florida. So I decided to make some appetizers that would allow me to use up items left in our refrigerator, freezer and pantry as our Winter season winds down.
So here is the recipe I created to use up some Roma tomatoes…in a VERY tasty way!
COOKING TIP: Hubby HATES the smell of roasting garlic. (He thinks it smells like an electrical fire…LOL!) And I’ve discovered by inserting the garlic cloves INTO the tomato flesh there is MUCH less of that smell for him to hate. I’m not sure of the science behind that, but it is kind of amazing, I must say…
ROASTED ROMA TOMATOES WITH GARLIC AND BASIL
This tomato dish would work well as a side dish…maybe served with a grilled steak. Or try what I did. I turned the roasted mixture into a Bruschetta appetizer.
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| The Dish…BEFORE Roasting… |
Roma Tomatoes (as many as you’d like)
whole garlic cloves
Fresh basil
Salt and Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (About 4 Tablespoons or so.)
Fresh or dried basil and/or oregano if desired (just a sprinkle)
Slice tomatoes in half and place in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray
Slide whole, peeled garlic cloves into the flesh of the cut side of the tomatoes
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Scatter some sliced fresh basil into the dish and roast at 400 degrees for approx 25-30 minutes or until tomatoes start to blacken and garlic is soft. Top with more fresh basil and serve…or make bruschetta!
BRUSCHETTA…MY Style!
Slice a baguette thinly on the diagonal. Brush with the olive oil from the bottom of the dish of roasted tomatoes and bake on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet for about 8 minutes or until crispy. (By placing the bread on a rack, it allows both side of the bread to become crispy.) Remove the bread from oven. Mash the tomato and garlic mixture with a fork. Top the toasted bread with the mixture and add a slice of fresh mozzarella. Bake about 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from the oven and top with more shredded basil and a touch of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. ENJOY!!!
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| The Italian Flag…On A Plate |
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