Most Italians would have all these ingredients readily at hand in their pantry; in fact, it’s what my mother fixed for me and my siblings as an after-school snack. I’ve updated it a bit with fresh mint to make a snappy appetizer bite.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 16; 4 to 6 servings

　　

Bread

1 pound ciabatta loaf, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 16)

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Topping

1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese

　　2 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced (about 2 cups)

　　3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil. Grill the bread until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the bread to a plate and squeeze the lemon juice over the bread slices. Sprinkle the bread slices with the dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

　　

Step 2

In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, tomatoes, mint, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine.

　　

To Serve

Step 3

Either spoon the cheese topping onto the bread and sprinkle with more chopped mint, or place the cheese topping in a bowl garnished with the mint and serve with the grilled bread alongside.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.