Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bruchetta

The quest is ON to use tomatoes in every conceivable way. I want to take foods that use raw tomatoes and try them with roasted ones. I always look with envy when people order bruchetta at restaurants. I want to eat bread with olive oil, basil, and garlic...but I don't want the raw tomatoes. It is a cruel, cruel world - or at least it was until I put on my thinking cap and made this roasted tomato bruchetta. Now I want to eat this for dinner every night and I won't care that I'd weight 900 lbs. I would be the happiest 900 lb. person on earth. How's that for a Guinness Book Record? The unsung hero of this bruchetta is the roasted garlic. Smooth as butter with a sweet, almost delicate, flavor that balances the sharp, salty Parmesan in the most amazing way. I could pop whole roasted cloves in my mouth (but Mark makes me sleep in a tent in the backyard when I do this). I ate this bruchetta for dinner, because I am very, very naughty. It really should be a nice appetizer and would be especially great to serve with a tray of curred meats and cocktails with friends. If you need some cherry tomatoes, come over to my house. As you can see...I there are plenty more that will be ready soon.
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bruchetta
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 shallot (or a small onion/half a bigger one)
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 loaf ciabatta bread (or other bread that you like)
1. Slice your tomatoes in half and lay them on a baking tray along with 4 whole garlic cloves (still in their peels) and roughly chopped shallots.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
3. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes and then broil for another 5 to get nice caramelization.
4. Take the tray out of the oven and put your loaf of bread (slices in half) in there to toast while you finish the topping.
5. Use a vegetable peeler to roughly shave 1/2 cup of Parmesan pieces into a bowl(pre-shredded would also work, but I do like the bigger hunks). Add roughly chopped basil leaves.
6. Squeeze the garlic out of the peels and it will be soft and beautiful.
7. Add tomatoes and shallots to the bowl and also mash up the garlic pieces a little and throw them in too. Mix to combine the ingredients well. Also, test it for salt and pepper. Try to resist the urge to run into your bedroom, lock the door, and have at this delicious mixture with a spoon until the fire department has to come pry you out.
8. Spoon generously onto waiting, toasted bread and slice into large pieces.