Warm Zucchini And Tomato Salad

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 1 medium size zucchini
• 1 large ripe tomato (e.g. beefsteak)
• 2/3-1 cup garlic-flavored croutons (i used butter and garlic chatham village brand)
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese (i used some leftover store brand mexican' and 'pizza' blends together)
• 1 -2 tablespoon rosemary-infused olive oil (or any infused or extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• balsamic vinaigrette (for dressing)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 450 farenheit, and get a glass pie dish.
• 2 slice zucchini lengthwise into ½ inch strips.
• 3 lay zucchini strips on bottom of pie plate to roughly cover the bottom. small spaces are ok.
• 4 sprinkle ~1/3 to 1/2 cup of the croutons (i really just eyeballed it - a couple of handfuls).
• 5 slice the stem end of the tomato off, then slice the rest of the tomato into six ½ inch slices. arrange the largest 5 slices around the edge, and put the smallest slice in the center.
• 6 sprinkle another layer of croutons, 1/3-1/2 cup or so.
• 7 drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil all around (again i just eyeballed it).
• 8 grind pepper over the top so the whole top is dusted lightly (~1/4 to 1/2 tsp worth, or to your liking).
• 9 sprinkle sea salt all around (again 1/4 to ½ tsp or to your liking).
• 10 cover with layer of whatever shredded cheeses you have.
• 11 bake in 450 f oven for about 11 minutes. reduce heat to 350 and bake until the cheese looks browned and sort of crispy ~3-5 minutes (or whenever it looks good to you â?? my croutons got pretty brown).
• 12 remove from oven. slice, like a pie, between each tomato slices (i.e. into fifths).
• 13 remove piece with spatula, to plate or bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette to your taste.