TOMATO BASIL JAM

Crostini:

1 baguette cut into ½” thick rounds

3-4 tsp. olive oil

Jam:

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

2 Tbs. good quality balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. sugar

½ cup fresh basil leaves, stemmed and chopped (plus more for garnish)

2 Tbs. parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the baguette slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Bake until lightly golden and toasty about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until they start to burst. Press gently with a potato masher or the back of a spoon to ‘pop’ them all.

Add the salt, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, balsamic, and sugar to the pan and continue cooking, stirring frequently until all of the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is thick and pulls away from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the basil and cook for another minute. Place the hot spread in a serving bowl, garnish with the parmesan and more basil. Serve with crostini on the side.

Appetizers

Vegetarian

Ciao Bella