Foodsday Tuesday: Passing the Tray

I recently had the occasion to spend an evening cater waitering. Willingly. (I didn't look nearly as snazzy as this guy, but I actually had a lot of fun.)

While I circulated little trays of hor d'oeuvres, I was reminded once again that there's really something to be said for foods that can be eaten out of one hand while the other gracefully balances a nice glass of pinot grigio. This recipe isn't one of the ones that I encountered the other night. It's not even close. But it's been quite popular at Phillyist cocktail parties. I'm not entirely sure how I initially found this recipe or when I first used it, although I'm sure by this point, I've modified it quite a bit from the original. If you know where it comes from, leave a comment!

BRUSCHETTA CRACKERS
One carton water crackers
One container basil pesto (Phillyist likes Trader Joe's Genova Pesto. You can also make your own quite easily.)
One pint grape tomatoes, halved
Fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cracker-sized slices no more than 1/4 inch in thickness and marinated for at least three hours in balsamic vinegar (one cube per cracker)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Organize crackers on a serving plate or tray. Do not layer. Put one small dollop of pesto on each cracker, top with cheese. Add another small dollop of pesto, then tomato half. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

You can also put these tasty morsels into the oven at about 200° until the cheese begins to soften, and then serve them warm. If you're going to do this, beware the hot olive oil in the pesto and don't bite right in!