- 8 7-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 15 minutes, then drained
- 40 cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint)
- 32 large fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Immerse the skewers before lighting the grill, so they have plenty of time to soak. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.
- To assemble the skewers, thread 5 tomatoes onto each skewer, placing a basil leaf, folded in half crosswise, between the tomatoes. Arrange the skewers in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and brush the tomatoes generously on all sides with the olive oil.
- To create a cool zone, bank the coals to one side of the grill or turn off one of the burners. Oil the grill grate. Place the skewers directly over the medium-hot fire and grill, turning once, until light grill marks appear on both sides, about 30 seconds per side.
- Move the skewers to the cooler part of the grill, cover, and grill until the tomatoes are hot but the skin hasn’t blistered, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.