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Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Caprese Crostini

Capri, and the surrounding mainland and rocky coast are home to beautiful vistas and amazing food. This is a perfect start to a dinner party.

Ingredients

1 loaf Ciabatta bread (recipe xxx), sliced ¼” thick, about 16 slices
3 cups Roma tomatoes, small diced
2 Tbl Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Fresh ground black pepper
6-8 each Large fresh basil leaves. chiffonade

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300.

To make the crostinis, place the sliced Ciabatta on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake until crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely at room temperature. If you are doing this ahead of time, store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Stack the basil leaves, roll them tight, and slice thin with a sharp knife (chiffonade). Combine with tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Divide the mixture among the crostinis, about 3-4 TB per crostini. Drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar as desired.

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