Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 1.5-2 pounds ripe tomatoes (7-8 Roma or 4-5 large tomatoes)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt (divided, or more, to taste)
• 3 cloves garlic (finely minced, divided)
• 10-15 leaves fresh Genovese basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ground black pepper (to taste)
• 3-4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)
• baguette (sliced into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces)
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (as needed)

Instructions

1. 1

   Finely dice the tomatoes and place them in a colander. Add ½ teaspoon salt on top and stir gently (doesn't have to be fully stirred in). Let the juices drain while you work on the rest of the bruschetta, stirring gently once in a while. You can even let it sit in the fridge for several hours.

2. 2

   While the tomatoes are draining, finely mince the garlic. In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon garlic with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and reserve that for the baguette. Let the oil infuse with garlic.

3. 3

   Finely slice the basil leaves by stacking them, rolling them up tightly, and slicing into thin strips.

4. 4

   If you're using a log of goat cheese, use a knife of your fingers to break it up into small pieces.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange the baguette slices on a large baking sheet and brush them with the garlic-infused oil. Bake at 400F for 7-8 minutes, or until golden on the bottom and crisp.

6. 6

   In a large bowl, combine the drained tomatoes, the rest of the garlic, diced basil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (to taste). Stir in salt and pepper, to taste.

7. 7

   Gently stir in half of the goat cheese, trying not to break it too much. Transfer the bruschetta to your serving bowl, then top with crumbles of goat cheese on top. Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices.