Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Boo-schetta

cheese olive appetizer bake kid-friendly halloween mozzarella bell pepper party gourmet sugar conscious vegetarian peanut free soy free kosher

Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

Makes about 20 toasts, or 10 servings

Source

Ingredients

1 (12-inch-long) loaf of Italian bread (about 2 to 3 inches in diameter), cut into 20 slices, about 1/2 inch thick

1 to 2 large garlic cloves, halved crosswise

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 (1/2-pound) balls fresh, lightly salted mozzarella

2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto (see Cooks' notes)

2 tablespoons mascarpone, softened

7 large pitted black olives (Mediterranean-style or canned California), ends trimmed and each olive cut crosswise into thirds

1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and cut into thin strips

Method

Heat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until pale golden, 6 to 12 minutes. Rub tops of slices with cut sides of garlic, then brush each bread slice with oil. Season toasts with salt and pepper and transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.

Cut mozzarella crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and trim, if necessary, to fit toasts.

Stir together pesto and mascarpone in a small bowl. If necessary, thin mixture with a little olive oil or water.

Dollop 1/2 teaspoon pesto mixture in center of each mozzarella-covered toast, then top each dollop with an olive slice to form the "irises" of the "eyeballs." Add 6 to 8 pepper slices for "veins," trimming to fit.

Serve within 1 hour of making.