Baked Caprese Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large French baguette (15 inches long), sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• 5 roma (plum) tomatoes, sliced
• 1 1/4 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves removed and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Arrange slices of baguette onto a baking sheet and brush both sides of each slice with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Toast the bread in the preheated oven until lightly golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip the bread slices over and top each slice with a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with salt.

Return crostini to the oven and bake until tomato and mozzarella slices are warmed through, about 5 more minutes.

Arrange the crostini onto a serving platter and sprinkle with basil. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with more sea salt and black pepper.