Garlic Toasts with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, & Goat Cheese
serves 6-8
2 cups cherry tomatoes, preferably a mix of red and yellow, stemmed and halved
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 baguette, cut into 16 slices about 1/4-inch thick
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
3 ounces mild goat cheese, at room temperature
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil and toss to mix well. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Rub the garlic halves over one side of the bread and brush lightly with the olive oil. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Spread each toast with the goat cheese, top with a spoonful of the tomato mixture, and serve at once.
Taylor's Notes:
This was really easy to make and is the perfect appetizer or snack for Spring and Summer. I minced and mashed the garlic cloves with a little kosher salt and added it to the goat cheese rather than rubbing the cloves on the toasts. Either way would be delicious, but I was with a group of garlic-lovers so we opted for the choice that would give us more flavor. Good thing we didn't have dates that night!
Enjoy!