California Caprese Sandwich

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Thinly slice tomatoes (if using cherry or grape size tomatoes, just slice lengthwise into 3 small slices. Place tomatoes on several thicknesses of paper towels to drain excess liquid. Thinly slice onions and separate into rings. Reserve the large, outer rings for another use.
2. Place bread slices on a sheet pan. Drizzle each slice with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. (If you’re using the smaller slices of bread, divide one teaspoon between two slices.) Using a pastry brush, brush bread slices to evenly distribute oil.
3. Place pan with bread in oven for 10 minutes to crisp bread. Evenly divide cheese among bread slices. Drizzle half of the pesto oil over the cheese. Return pan to oven for 6-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
4. Cover most of cheese with tomatoes and avocados. Leave a few small open spaces for the cheese to ooze. Scatter onion rings atop tomato layer. Drizzle with a bit more pesto, to taste. Finish with a light sprinkle of sesame seeds and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestion: Double or triple the recipe and arrange baked sandwiches on a platter to serve a larger group.

Beverage Pairing: Sparking water.