Mozzarella Baguette
Sometimes, you just need a little treat without too much fuss in preparing something nice. This baguette is so easy, I am almost ashamed to admit how easy. It is perfect if you are planning a lazy night in front of the telly with a cool bottle of beer or some wine. The importance here is the quality of your ingredients – you can of course use what ever you can afford but ‘proper’ mozzarella will make a difference. I simply love Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella. Johnny Lynch and Sean Ferry produce authentic buffalo mozzarella (although their ricotta is second to none) – the texture of the mozzarella is firm enough for slicing, although you can simply rip the cheese apart if you like a more rustic look. For the tomatoes, I have to admit that I am going to Tesco and buy piccolo cheery tomatoes – the flavour is stunning. As my mum would have said: ‘they taste like tomatoes should do’. Rubbing the garlic onto the bread adds a level of flavour that enhances the whole dish – don’t skip this step. If you are a lover of garlic you can of course chop some roasted garlic and add it to the tomato mix but 
I prefer the flavour of the garlic to be underlying. Make a tray of these for your next party – you can make them with long baguettes and cut to size or you can buy some dinner rolls. I promise, they will disappear in no time.
Makes 4 Mozzarella Baguettes
- 2 medium size baguettes, halved
- olive oil
- garlic, peeled cut in half
- 4 large tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes, de-seeded and finely diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 2 balls mozzarella, drained and sliced
- Pesto
- basil leaves
Preheat your grill to medium.
Brush the halves of the baguettes with olive oil and place on the rack under the grill until just slightly browned and crisp. Rub the halves of garlic over the cut surface. In a bowl mix the chopped onions and tomatoes and divide into four. Spoon mixture on top of the baguettes, top each baguette with slices of the mozzarella and place again under the grill until the mozzarella starts to melt slightly. Remove and place on platters or trays. Drizzle over some pesto and scatter some torn basil leaves over the baguettes.
