Roasted Garlic Crustini with Pine Nuts and Roasted Red Peppers

This makes 4 to 6 servings and was dinner for two a couple of nights ago. Pair this with a salad and a great bottle of your favorite wine and its a winner.

1 Large head of garlic
1 Tea. Olive Oil
12 Baguette slices toasted sliced approx. 1/4" thick
2 Tab. Softened butter
1/4 Cup of Pine Nuts toasted
1/4 Cup diced Roasted Red Peppers
Kosher Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut the head off the garlic and discard. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil. Wrap the head in foil and place on a baking sheet in the oven for forty minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile dice up the roasted red peppers then set aside

In a hot dry frying pan add the pine nuts. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the nuts. Remove from frying pan and set aside to cool.

Toast the baguette slices brushing them with olive oil. It takes about 6 to 8 minutes.

In a bowl squeeze the garlic from the skins add the softened butter and salt then mash with a fork. You can also for large batches whiz this in the food processor.

Spread the garlic butter combination onto the baguette slices, sprinkle with pine nuts and top with roasted red peppers.

You can also add a thin slice of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to give this an added kick.

Manga!

Bruschetta

This is an easy appetizer and when it's too hot to cook can become the main course. This is simple, easy and most importantly delicious. This is for roughly two servings just increase the amounts by the number of people you will be serving.

3 Lg. Roma Tomatoes seeded and chopped into small pieces
3 to 4 Lg cloves of garlic sliced thinly (more if you're a garlic fan like me)
2 to 3 Tablespoons of fresh roughly chopped Basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to taste
Kosher Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 Baguette of good Italian or French bread
1 Tab. Oregano

In a medium size bowl mix the garlic, basil and tomatoes together
Add salt and pepper to your liking
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil making certain to coat everything well yet not drowned it in the oil
Cover with plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least one hour while the flavors combine

While the tomato mixture marinates set the oven on 350 degrees
Slice the bread into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
Lay them on a baking sheet
Brush them liberally with olive oil
Sprinkle with Kosher salt, cracked pepper
Sprinkle on the Oregano
Pop into oven for about six to seven minutes or until the bread begins to turn golden brown around the edges
Set aside and let the bread cool completely

When ready to serve you can either spoon the tomato mixture onto the toasted baguettes or place the bowl filled with the tomato mixture surrounded by the crusty baguette slices and let your guest prepare their own.
Mangi!

Grilled Asparagus

1 Bunch Asparagus (the thinner they are the more flavorful they are)
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Cut the woody ends off the Asparagus (Hold at tip and bend cut where bend is)
In a plastic container lay the asparagus
Drizzle with a generous amount of the olive oil
Sprinkle with Kosher salt and Cracked pepper (be generous)
Toss until every part of the asparagus is coated with olive oil and salt and pepper
This can sit covered in the fridge for a few hours.

When your grill is hot, with no flame, lay the asparagus on the grill
Turn after roughly 30 seconds until there are nice dark grill marks all the way around the asparagus.

Place them on a plate drizzle a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt and cracked pepper and serve as either a side dish or as I often do as an appetizer.
I bet you can't eat just one!
Enjoy!

Cheesy Bruschetta

This is super easy and makes a really nice presentation.
This can be done in the oven under the broiler or on a grill and the grill marks really look great.

1 Loaf of your favorite crusty bread, cut the baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices cutting on the diagonal

1 1/2 Cups =(10 oz.) Fresh whole milk Ricotta cheese
1 Tea. Fresh Lemon Zest
Kosher Salt to taste
Freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Extra virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Mint sprigs finely chopped

In a small bowl combine ricotta,lemon zest,and a good pinch of salt, pepper and the mint reserving some mint to sprinkle on top!

Coat 2 baking sheets with Olive Oil then set the bread slices on top in a single layer. Brush the tops with a little Olive Oil and set aside until you are ready to cook them.

Grill the bread on one side until it is nice a browned or has grill marks turn over and toast the other side. it only takes a matter of minutes.

When the slices are done rub the top side wit a cut piece of garlic.

Spread the ricotta mixture on top of the toasted bread. Sean with a few twists of pepper and the additional mint and drizzle with a tiny amount of olive oil.

Enjoy!