I don't know how you feel, but have there been enough Facebook updates or Twitter comments about football season yet? In just a week, social media has exploded with football followers and fans, all cheering on their favorite teams. And while I subscribe to the notion of team spirit, I'd much rather sit back and plan the fun parties. Of course, there has to be tons of food. But instead of choosing one or two main dishes and a cheese plate, how about choosing a bunch of different small bites, such as crostini? It pleases everyone on your guest list. One of our favorites is this roasted tomato ricotta crostini. The tomatoes are tossed with a little olive oil and garlic for an extreme burst of flavor.
Ingredients
1 loaf crusty french ead
2 pints grape tomatoes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 Tbsp. ricotta cheese
salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the tomatoes with garlic and olive oil to coat then place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until the tomatoes begin to just burst. While the tomatoes cook, use a serrated knife to cut your ead into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices onto a baking sheet and set aside. Once the tomatoes have cooked, remove them from the oven and set them aside. Set the oven to oil and place the ead into the oven. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes until just crisp. Remove and then put a generous swipe of ricotta cheese on each slice. Top each with 2 to 3 roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt.
Serves 4 to 6
--Kim Cooper--