Gourmet bruschetta

Warning: this version of bruschetta is piled so high with toppings you may need a fork and knife to eat it.

Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 6 basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 slices thick crusty bread
• 1 (18 ounce) package pre-sliced fresh mozzarella
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Whole basil leaves (to use as garnishes)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic and basil.
3. Place the tomatoes in an oven-safe dish and pour the olive oil mixture on top. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes start to brown and crack.
4. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Make sure not to overcook it. It should still be a little soft.
5. Cover each slice with cheese and top with the tomatoes. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm and garnish with a basil leaf.

To make the bruschetta easier to eat, you can cut the tomatoes in half before roasting them. This will shorten the cooking time, however, so keep an eye on them.