GELSOMINI BRUSCHETTA

Appetizers|Award Winner|Ciao Bella|Vegetarian

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Ingredients

The Herb Oil:

⅔ cup olive oil

4 teaspoons Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

1 large clove of garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

The Tomatoes:

2 ½ cups chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

The Bruschetta:

1 large French baguette, cut into ½-¾” thick slices

2 cups mozzarella or Italian blend shredded cheese

Instructions

Combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small jar and cover. Shake vigorously to bring out the flavor of each spice. This flavored oil should be made as far in advance as possible (overnight is good) so that the most possible flavor can be drawn into the oil. Continue to shake the jar every so often so that the flavors are always blending.

Marinate the chopped tomatoes in the sugar, vinegar, olive oil, and salt for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Brush both sides of each piece of bread with your flavored oil, being careful to cover the surface of each piece without saturating it. Place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes until tops are slightly toasted.

Using a slotted spoon (to let the excess marinade drip back into the bowl), place a small pile of the tomatoes onto each slice of toasted bread and place them on a platter. Top all with the shredded cheese.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and begins to bubble. Serve hot.

This recipe is one of my early inventions and each time I make it, the plate is clean in minutes! It took first place for the Appetizers category in one of my first ever contest entries – The Patriot Ledger recipe contest!