Baked Caprese Salad
Why I Love This Recipe
As seen on Oprah Winfrey's talk show November 2007
Created by Giada De Laurentiis
From Knock, Knock, It's Nate!
Be careful not to overheat the crostini. The cheese and tomatoes should be just warmed through and softened, but not melted or falling apart. It's perfect if you have slightly under-ripe tomatoes.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick, about 30 to 36 slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Leaves from 1 bunch of fresh basil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°.
Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Top each slice of bread with a slice of tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with salt. Return the baking sheet to the oven until the cheese and tomato are just warm, about 5 minutes.
Arrange the toasts on a serving platter. Top each toast with a basil leaf. Using the brush, drizzle the remaining olive oil over the basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
