Tomato Tartine Provencal

• ½ loaf artisan country bread
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for garnish
• Coarsely grated Compte or parmesan cheese
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, rinsed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, rinsed, dried, and chopped

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slice the bread into ½-inch thick slices, transfer them to the cookie sheet, and brush the top of each slice with olive oil. Preheat the broiler and when it is hot, toast the slices until they are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch the toasts carefully so they don’t burn. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.

Shortly before serving, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice tomatoes crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices and drain them on paper towels for two minutes. Sprinkle the toasts with grated cheese and top each with a tomato slice. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, herbes de Provence, and a very light garnish of additional grated cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened, remove the tartines from the oven, and lightly drizzle each tomato with olive oil. Garnish with chopped basil and serve immediately.

Yield: 10 to 12 tartines