Oven Roasted Tomato Crostini...and with Rigatoni

When you have a beautiful loaf of homemade bread, and red ripe tomatoes, what could be better, than a "fresh bruschetta topped" or an Oven Roasted (fresh) Tomato Crostini? ...knowing that you have the best extra virgin olive oil, and chopped garlic, and have a batch of fresh basil, you're all set! You don't even need to waste electricity to roast them in your big oven. Your handy toaster oven will do the job for you!

This past week has not been a very successful one, as far as cooking, or baking from my Weight Watchers cookbook...simply, because of last weekend which was the NFL Super Bowl weekend! Missed my WW meeting, didn't keep track of my points, only knowing by now, how much points each item has, that I eat. For instance, one crostini with the roasted tomato topping is 5 points, which is not a lot, but having 2 of these, you're up to 10 points, granted it's very, delicious, and a satisfying snack, but I literally had this for lunch, which was OK. The worst part of the weekend, was, the Super Bowl Sunday, not because I ate too much...it's what I ate. BBQ ribs, twice baked potato, pasta with clams, and for dessert, a slice of Tiramisu! That means, the next following days, I gained back 2 lbs. so now, I'm 3 lbs away from my goal of the 10 lbs loss...sad, but true! Although I hit the gym again...just have to get back to my routine, and stay with the program.

"Kill two birds with one stone" Roasted Tomato Crostini, and Roasted Tomato Rigatoni

Oven Roasted Tomato Crostini
my own recipe

4 to 6 medium ripe tomatoes, or
6 to 8 ripe Roma tomatoes
halved, and cut into quarters
salt and pepper to taste
dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme
2 to 4Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
chopped garlic (optional)


(I didn't add the chopped garlic when roasting tomatoes, I added it to the crostini. You can add it when roasting tomatoes)

Line a small baking pan with aluminum foil, (dull side up)
Place your tomato pieces, and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and spices, and drizzle the extra virgin olive oil on them. Bake in a 375 F. degree oven, for about 45 minutes.

(I used a toaster oven, so simple, and less space used, easier clean-up, and saves electricity)

This is how they will look like after 45 minutes. Almost all of the oil soaked up, just the perfect texture, and incredible sweet flavor. Not using the garlic while you roast them gives them the true sweet flavor. Garlic tends to overpower them while roasting. Use garlic afterwards, if you like, according to taste!

All you do afterwards is, set the tomatoes in a dish with a rim, or in a small bowl, add a little more extra virgin olive oil, adjust seasoning. You can add fresh chopped herbs at this time, and a touch of balsamic vinegar if you like.

I also added some to cooked rigatoni pasta, with some of my leftover chickpeas, and shaved Parmigiana cheese!
It was the best topping for a simple, healthy and delicious pasta, I could think of at the moment:DDD
Points value for the pasta: 7 points


For the Crostini:

Chop  a few cloves of garlic, place them in a small ramekin, add about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil to it, and you have a nice garlic spread. Spread some of that lightly on a nice thin slice of crusty bread, spoon some of the roasted tomatoes on, and on a 350 F aluminum foil lined baking sheet, bake for about 10-12 minutes. Roll about 3 fresh basil leaves, and cut them into thin slices (chiffonade) ...scatter them on top, just before serving. You can also add shaved Parmigiana on the crostini, as well.
Do not add the basil when baking the crostini, or it will darken or burn!


This is the most difficult part...paying forward the awards! Not just because of the length of time it takes, to link it to the blogger you want to give it to, but because I do feel everyone deserves it...but knowing that, if I should mention, as a lot of others have mentioned in the past. Please feel free to accept it, and keep it, or pass it on, BUT...there's a catch to that. You don't see you name on the list, and you say to yourself..."hmmm, why should I bother with this?...my name isn't on the list!" I've had that happen to me quite a few times, and almost thinking..."no, I can't take this award, it wasn't meant for me!"...and so, it goes!

This time, I'm doing this differently...very differently!The persons that have mentioned the award...and I know all of you have noticed it, but did not mention...no problem! Can't mention every little detail; but those of you, who did...other than the bloggers that the award came from, you will be awarded this award, and ...thereafter, who comments on it, as well...any blogger that would like to grab it, and pay it forward! As long as you can read Hungarian, or Russian
No Rules apply...just please accept it with my BEST WISHES, and BIG HUGS!...pass it on to as few, or as many as you would like to, just be sure to link it...(good luck with that one...you'll be linking for hours if you do 10)

Congratulations, on the well deserved award:DDD
According to the comments on my previous post, in their order:


Kathy @ Bakeaway With Me
Jill @ Dulce Dough
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
Amelia @ Amelia's De-sserts
Christine @ Christine's Pantry
Maria, and Xara @ Cookendfeed
Ping @ Ping's Pickings
Erzsebet @ Troll a Konyhámban
Lizzy @ That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!
Nancy @ Kitchen Gypsies