a lite summer snack!

while strolling through the farmer's market on a warm day, i close my eyes and take in the fresh scents of herbs, flowers, and fresh baked bread mingled with the ocean air. i love this place and go as often as possible, to check out the fresh fruits and vegetables of the season, as well as the specialty olive oils, cheeses and baked treats. the weather is warming up and i am a big fan of cooling down in the kitchen. this easy summer appetizer is fast, and involves very little cooking. in the end you will have a crunchy, salty snack and very little clean up!
smash a garlic clove and drop into about a 1/4 cup of good olive oil with a pinch of salt and heat just till warm in a sauce pan on the stove, turn off heat and allow to steep, for at least 10 mins. i keep a pan of this on my stove all the time and use for everything from frittatas to shrimp. it's great just to dip fresh, warm bread for a light snack.
preheat your broiler ( you can even do on the grill if you don't want to heat your kitchen). slice a baguette and place on a sheet pan.

drizzle bread with the garlic infused olive oil and sprinkle with grated romano cheese, you may also use parm, but i love the nutty salty taste of the romano. place under broiler (or on your grill) and toast till golden brown.


place on your serving tray and top each slice with a fresh leaf of basil and a piece of proscuitto. finish off by shaving a little romano cheese on top and drizzle with garlic infused oil and a sprinkling of pepper. that's it! fast, delicious and a perfect summer bite.