OLIVE BRUCHETTA WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Starter for Sue-Ann Fourie

Serves 6-8

Bruchetta
* 1 French-style loaf, cut into slices ± 1 cm thick
* canola or olive oil
* Garlic & Herb Seasoning - Ina Paarman's is a good one

Brush the one side of the bread lightly with oil and then sprinkle lightly with Garlic & Herb Seasoning. Bake at 200°C for ± 10 minutes until golden. Serve straight away - or leave to cool down completely and then store in an airtight container.

Topping
* 125g Olive Pesto - i.e. Ina Paarman's Olive Pesto
* 1 x 200 g punnet very ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
* ½ t (2,5 ml) sugar
* Green Onion Seasoning or similar
* ¼ punnet fresh basil leaves
* olive oil
* freshly ground black pepper

Spread the bruchetta with the Pesto. Be quite generous. Halve the tomatoes and toss them with the sugar and Green Onion Seasoning. Top the bruchetta with fresh whole basil leaves and tomatoes. Drizzle each slice with a little olive oil and add a good grinding of black pepper.