Parmesan Wrapped Tomato Bites

I don’t know about you but when it comes to appetizers I kind of freak out.  In a bad way.

It’s just something about finding that perfect little bit to really tickle someone’s tongue that makes me nervous.  What if it’s not perfect?  What if they’re not tickled?  What if I make too many or too few or it’s too good and the rest of the meal sucks?  Or even worse – what if it’s just not good enough?

It’s a little nerve-wracking in case you couldn’t tell.  And even though it’s probably just me, I feel like honesty is key here and I’m telling you:  freak out central.

When I was in college I worked in a school-owned restaurant for my degree and these parmesan crisps were always on the menu for the salad bar.  They’re so easy to make and a little too easy to eat, but pop in a cherry tomato for some color and you’ve got a fun, impressive, one-bite appetizer that everyone will love.  Don’t love tomatoes?  Take it out and eat the crisp itself!  Add a little basil for a perfect pairing.  And make sure you make too many of them…these are one appetizer that it’s OK to overdose on.

PARMESAN WRAPPED TOMATO BITES

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 10 oz shredded parmesan cheese (you can do freshly shredded or buy the pre-packaged kind depending on your time limits)
• toothpicks
• sprinkling of pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper – this is VERY important.  It’s cheese so it will stick and parchment is pretty much the only thing besides a Silpat that will work with this!  Using a tablespoon make mounds of cheese about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.  Pop in the oven at 350 for 4-6 minutes.  Check after 4 minutes to see where they’re at; you want the edges to be golden brown but the center will likely still be lighter.  Remove from oven and let sit for about 3-4 minutes.  Carefully remove each crisp from the sheet and wrap around a cherry tomato, then skewer with a toothpick.  Repeat!  Once they’re all done they will be golden brown and deliciously wrapped around that little piece of summer fruit and ready for your guests, but remember you can always sprinkle with pepper or add a little basil to make ‘em extra fancy!

Hey, I try to keep the freakouts to a minimum.  Cheese kind of does that to me!

Pssssst!  Don’t forget to enter the Bertolli Giveaway if you haven’t already!

Tagged as: cherry tomatoes, easy appetizer ideas, oven-baked parmesan, parmesan crisps, perfect appetizers, perfectly melted cheese, quick and easy foods, tomato appetizers