Tomato And Olivada Crostini

2013-10-06

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Skill Level: Easy

Servings : 15
Cook Time : 12m

This is a flavorful appetizer but not too heavy.

Ingredients

1 16 inch thin loaf Italian or French bread, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 28 oz cans Italian whole tomatoes, seeded and drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, chopped and mashed to paste with 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
1/3 cup olivada or other bottled black olive paste
50 small fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F.

Step 2

Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on 2 baking sheets and sprinkle half with parmesan. Toast slices in upper and lower thirds of oven until crisp and golden, 8 to 12 minutes, cool. crostini may be made 2 weeks ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Step 3

In a colander or sieve, drain tomatoes well, pressing gently on solids to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible , and blot with paper towels. Chop tomatoes fine. In a bowl stir together tomatoes, oil, garlic paste, parsley, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4

Put 1 heaping teaspoon tomato mixture on each parmesan crostini and top with 1/4 teaspoon olive paste. Spread each plain crostini with 1/2 teaspoon olive paste, and top with a heaping teaspoon tomato mixture.

Step 5

Garnish crostini with parsley leaves