Ingredients:

• 3 ripe tomatoes, about 2 cups

• 1 clove fresh garlic

• 2 tsp. Mezzogiorno Spice Blend

• 3 Tbsp. good olive oil, set aside 2 tbsp. for bread

• 1 baguette

• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

For the Crostini:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• Slice baguette into ½ inch slices. Drizzle a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lay the bread on the pan and drizzle the other tablespoon over the bread. Sprinkle the salt on the bread and bake for 5 minutes. Flip and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the crusts are golden.

For the Topping:

• Dice tomatoes, about ¼ inch squares. Smash and chop the garlic, or use a garlic press and add to the tomatoes.

• Add Mezzogiorno and olive oil and stir to blend all of the ingredients. Let these marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Serving: Top the crostini with about a tablespoon of the topping and serve right away. For a casual get together, put the crostini in a basket and allow your guests to top their own with the tomato mixture.

Tasty Tip: We prefer to sprinkle the bread with salt, rather than the tomatoes, so that the dish is seasoned without pulling too much liquid from the tomatoes.

Depending on the type of tomato and their acid level, a splash of red or balsamic vinegar adds a bright flavor.