Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Toasts

By loves2bake

I love the tartness of the roasted tomatoes with the creaminess of the soft goat cheese in this easy starter. Use multicolored cherry tomatoes to add a little flair to the dish. I served these toasts at my daughter's third birthday party, and they were a hit with both the children and the adults. Feel free to roast the tomatoes a day ahead and store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Just be sure to remove the tomato mixture from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before spreading it on the toasts, as the olive oil may harden when chilled.

Ingredients

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 T olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
• 1 baguette, cut into eighteen 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1/4 cup soft goat cheese at room temperature
• 9 small fresh basil leaves

Details

Servings 18

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Put the tomatoes in a small ovenproof baking dish and season with salt & pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir. Roast for 1 hour, stirring once more after about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. Lower the heat to 375 degrees F.

4. Place the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, coat the bread with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Toast the bread for 10 minutes. When the bread and tomatoes have cooled, spread each baguette slice with a small spoonful of goat cheese and top with a small mound of roasted tomatoes.

6. Arrange the toasts and a serving platter and top every other toast with a basil leaf. You can also cut the basil into very thin ribbons and sprinkle it over the toasts.