Tomato, Basil, & Goat Cheese Tapas

You can prepare the tomato base ahead of time, add it to a dish with a slice of goat cheese in the middle and grill it in your wood oven until the cheese is melted/toasted. Serve on toast points.

Sauce

* 6 +/- peeled tomatoes (Roma work nicely), diced
* 1/2 onion, chopped fine
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
* 2 tsp herbs de Provence(recipe follows)
* 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Sauté the sauce to reduce the liquid and thicken it, about 10 minutes. You can make a lot of sauce ahead of time; it will keep fine in the refrigerator for another tapa. Prepare toast points by slicing a baguette and toasting the slices. Butter with garlic butter (ali oil). These are served with the dish after roasting.

Cooking

Place a hot layer of the tomato basil mixture in a small low-sided terra cotta dish (6”) and place a slice of goat cheese in the middle. The sauce and the cheese should be about 1/2 inch thick. Place in your wood oven under a nice flame until the goat cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with some fresh slivered basil. Spoon onto the toast points and serve. Disappears quickly!

Herbs De Provence

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon thyme 1 tablespoon chervil 1 tablespoon rosemary 1 tablespoon summer savory 1 teaspoon lavender 1 teaspoon tarragon 1 teaspoon marjoram 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon mint 2 powdered or chopped bay leaves Preparation: Mix together all of the ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container. Makes about 1/3 cup herb mix.