the little stone

Caprese salad is one of my favorites. But sometimes (most of the time), a girl needs her carbs. Caprese crostini is a snack I love making in the summer. It’s light but holds you over until dinner. Rather than using balsamic vinaigrette, I’ve opted for olive oil with rosemary and garlic. I find the consistency of balsamic vinaigrette to be a little too thin and drippy, and it ends up making the bread soggy. The olive oil, on the other hand, clings to the tomato, basil, and bread, keeping the ingredients moisturized without soaking them through. And the rosemary and garlic provide a delicious savory flavor. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients for 6 crostini:

– 3 slices of mozzarella cheese (they’ll be halved)
– 1/2 plump and ripe tomato (I used a Maryland tomato. It was so fresh and juicy!)
– Ciabatta (I used about 1/4 of a 9 oz loaf)
– 12 medium-sized basil leaves
– Four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
– One garlic clove
– 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary
– Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Slice ciabatta into six3 small pieces.
2. Wash and dry basil leaves.
3. Wash tomato and slice three pieces that are a 1/2-inch thick.
4. Slice each tomato piece in half. You should have six semi-circles of tomato.
5. Slice three pieces of mozzarella that are a 1/2-inch thick. Slice each piece in half. You should have six semi-circles of mozzarella.
6. Layer each piece of bread:
– 2 pieces of basil (I like to sandwich the mozzarella between the basil)
– 1 halved slice of mozzarella
– 1 halved slice of tomato
7. Thinly slice the one garlic clove
8. Finely chop the fresh rosemary until you have a 1/2 tablespoon
7. Gather four tablespoons of olive oil into a small bowl.
8. Mix in the thinly sliced garlic and finely chopped fresh rosemary
9. Add salt and pepper to taste
10. Drizzle olive oil on top of ciabatta slices.
11. Enjoy!

If you try this, or have different kinds of crostini you’d like to share, feel free to do so in the comments or on Instagram @thelittlestoneblog. Thanks for reading!