Basil Pesto Bread

At a recent party our friends went wild over this. A simple pesto is spread on Italian bread and layered with roma tomatoes and cheese. It takes a little time, but it is worth it. I freeze the basil in ice cube trays, then put the cubes in freezer bags. You can easily take out and thaw what you need. Enjoy!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 194 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the broiler.

Step 2

In a blender or food processor, puree the basil leaves, olive oil and garlic. Mix in the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Continue processing until desired consistency is reached.

Step 3

Slice Italian bread to desired thickness. Spread a layer of pesto on each slice. Top with roma (plum) tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

Step 4

Place topped bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.