Recipe: Cherry Tomato Crostini with Homemade Herbed Goat Cheese

CHERRY TOMATO CROSTINI
WITH HOMEMADE HERBED GOAT CHEESE
(Tartines de Tomates Cerises, Chevre Frais Maison aux Herbes)



"I like to roast the tomatoes ahead of time - up to 8 hours in advance - so they have time to marinate in their own savory juices, which caramelize slightly, making a nice bit of sauce to drizzle over the top."

FOR THE HERBED FRESH GOAT CHEESE:
2 cups whole goats (or cows) milk yogurt
1 generous tablespoon very finely minced mixed fresh herbs (be sure to include chives, as well as an assortment that could include thyme, sage, basil, or flat-leaf parsley)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper

FOR THE ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES:
1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Handful of fresh herbs (any combination of rosemary or thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and basil or sage leaves)
Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE CROSTINI:
4 thick slices bread, such as ciabatta, a country bread, or a sourdough that's not too dense
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
A few leaves of fresh basil, sage, or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

TO MAKE THE HERBED GOAT CHEESE:
Line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth or muslin and set it over a bowl. Scrape the yogurt into the lined strainer, fold the cloth over the yogurt, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Put the strained yogurt into a bowl and mix in the herbs, shallots, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

TO ROAST THE TOMATOES:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and herbs in a baking dish or pan that will hold them all in a snug single layer. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, and spread them out on the baking dish.

Roast the tomatoes for about 45 minutes, stirring once or perhaps twice during baking, until they're wilted and their juices are starting to concentrate - and perhaps brown a bit - in the bottom of the baking dish. Scrape the tomatoes and any juices into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. They can sit up to 8 hours, and they improve the longer they sit.

WHEN READY TO SERVE, MAKE THE CROSTINI:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Evenly brush the bread slices with olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and when just cool enough to handle, rub the slices generously with the garlic clove. Let cool to room temperature.

TO SERVE:
Thickly smear each piece of toast with the fresh herbed cheese. Pluck out the herbs and spoon the tomatoes and their juices over the toasts. Coarsely chop the herbs for the garnish, and scatter them over the top of each portion.

Makes 4 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Ten Speed Press
Adapted from source: My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz