Is there anything better in the summer? I have a lot of favorite tomato recipes, but one of the best is bruschetta. I learned to make this from my friend who lives in Florida. She is a great cook, and enjoys making this for company.
The bakery near me has good mini ciabatta loaves, so I split them and use them for the base. My friend uses pesto from the jar, but I have lots of fresh basil in the backyard, so I make my own pesto. I use 1/4 c olive oil, 2 frozen cubes of garlic from Trader Joes, 1/4 c basil, 1/4 c parmesan, and 1/2 c walnuts mixed together in the blender for the pesto. I spread that on the ciabatta.
I chop tomatoes and marinate them in red wine vinegar dressing. Usually two large tomatoes are enough. I place the tomatoes on top of the pesto.
I sprinkle all of this with a little shredded parmesan. Bake it in the oven for a few minutes and you have a delicious appetizer or side dish.
