New Years Nibbles Part 5: DELICIOUSLY EASY ITALIAN DIP

[oh, the excitement!]

This is the fifth in a series of guest blog-posts from the folks who attended our New Years Eve Iron Chef-style cookoff at Hickory House. There was one rule: you had to use exactly 9 (as in, 2009) ingredients. The results were so delicious that no winner was determined, and I felt compelled to post the recipes on here. Today's guest blogger-chef is Olivia, who is famous for crunching the numbers and her triumphant overcoming of the challenges of Montessori school.

DELICIOUSLY EASY ITALIAN DIP, Or, as Old Country As It Gets

1) Fresh mozzarella, one good-sized ball
2) Roasted red pepper and tomato brushetta, two jars
3) Pine-nut (not pumpkin seed) pesto, two jars
4) Black Olives, as few or as many as you'd like
5) Sun-dried tomatoes, same serving size as above
6) Shredded parmesean cheese, one handful
7) Ciabatta bread, one loaf
8) Garlic, one clove
9) Olive oil, enough to cover the ciabatta

Thinly slice the mozzarella cheese and spread over the bottom of a (preferably glass, which is better to view the beautiful layers) 9 x 12 baking dish. Spoon a healthy layer of the bruschetta over top of the mozzarella, followed by a thinner layer of the pesto over the bruschetta. Decorate the top of the dip with sun-dried tomatoes, black olives and shredded cheese. Next, slice the ciabatta bread down the middle, drizzly liberally with olive olive and smear the fresh garlic all over. Bake the bread until warm and toasty, cut into pieces, and enjoy with the dip. Yum.