pesto cheese toast

This is a quick little appetizer/snack/side dish that comes together in less than half an hour. You can eat it by its self or dip it in some marinara or a bowl of creamy tomato soup. The thick hearty bread gives it substance so it pairs well with a salad for a light lunch. Serve this with a plate of spaghetti and homemade meatballs and you've got a fancy home-cooked meal that is sure to impress any guest (or date!).

If you have a garden and can make your own pesto from fresh herbs, count yourself blessed. Thats just about the only way this dish could get any better.




Total Recipe cost: $5.80
Servings Per Recipe: 12 slices (slices per serving is subjective, but they are fairly filling)
Cost per serving: $0.48 per slice
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 25 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 lg. loaf	french bread	$1.50
1 jar (8 oz.)	pesto	$1.96
3 medium	roma tomatoes	$0.86
1.5 cups	shredded mozzarella	$1.48
TOTAL		$5.80

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice the french bread loaf in half lengthwise (to open like a sandwich roll). Then cut each half into either 8 or 6 slices, depending on the size of your loaf and how wide you want each piece of Pesto Cheese Toast.

STEP 2: Line a baking sheet with foil to protect it from fallen melting cheese. Smear 1 Tbsp of pesto onto each slice of toast. Slice the roma tomatoes and place two slices of tomato on each piece of toast. Finally, top each piece with 1/4 cup (approximately) of cheese.

STEP 3: Bake the toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the toast is brown and crispy on the edges. Every oven varies so keep an eye on it starting at around 10 minutes.


Step By Step Photos


Start with one large loaf of french bread and slice it into 12-16 pieces.


Smear one tablespoon of pesto on each slice and top with two slices of tomatoes. Count out how many slices of tomato you'll need before slicing them so that you'll know about how thick to cut them in order to get enough. If you have a small oven (like me) you may not be able to fit all of the slices on one sheet.


Top each piece with about 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes.


Or until they come out looking insanely delicious, like this!



It's too bad that prosciuto is so expensive. It would be so delicious on a slice of this!