French Bread With Pesto And Peppers Food

BASIL PESTO BREAD ROUNDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven on broiler setting. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place under broiler for 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted on one side. Watch carefully to ensure they don't burn. Remove from oven, and flip bread slices so that the toasted side is on the bottom.
• Set the oven temperature for 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, pesto, garlic, Parmesan and salt. Spread evenly over untoasted sides of bread slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Set the oven to broil, and place the rounds under the broiler just until they begin to bubble and turn golden. Let cool slightly before serving.

PESTO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine ingredients for the bruschetta in a medium size and set it aside while you make the pesto and the crostini. Bruschetta can sit out for up to 1 hour without needed refrigeration.
• Arrange the bread side by side on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Bake for 7-10 minutes, flipping it over halfway through. You want the crostini to be crispy but not so hard you can't easily bite into it.
• While the crostini is cooling, make the pesto. To a food processor or blender add fresh basil, parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds, garlic and lemon juice. Turn to low and drizzle in olive oil to emulsify. Once all the olive oil is added, continue to blend for about a minute or until pesto is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl at least once to ensure all ingredients are evenly mixed in. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
• Assembly: Top each piece of crostini with a smear of pesto and a spoonful of the bruschetta. Sprinkle grated parmesan or fresh basil on top if desired.

FRENCH BREAD WITH PESTO AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Spread pesto on the cut sides of both loaves of bread.
• Arrange red peppers on the bottom two halves, and sprinkle cheese over peppers.
• Replace the top halves of bread.
• Wrap each loaf in aluminum foil.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese melts.
• Cut into 2 inch pieces.

PESTO DIPPING OIL

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, pesto, salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow serving bowl; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with bread.

PESTO PULL-APART BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Combine olive oil and pesto. Dip biscuit pieces into pesto mixture until coated; place in an 8-inch round baking pan. Top with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and ripe olives., Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; return to oven, and bake until melted, about 5 minutes longer. Cut into wedges or pull apart; serve warm, with additional pesto if desired.

ROAST BEEF FRENCH DIP WITH GREEN PEA PESTO

Steps:

• Two 3-inch wide long loaves French crusty bread (8 inches of bread per sandwich), split
• For the pesto: In a food processor, combine the basil, peas, Parm, mint, tarragon, garlic and about 1/2 cup EVOO. Season with salt and pepper and process to almost smooth. Transfer to a small container until ready to use. Or refrigerate and bring to room temperature when ready to serve.
• For the beef: Bring the roast to room temperature. Sprinkle the meat with the salt, pepper and rosemary.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat evenly, 5 minutes. Then transfer to the oven and roast 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 120 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
• Transfer the roast to a cutting board and cover with foil, 30 minutes. Wrap and store if not serving right away.
• To serve, very thinly slice the meat. Heat the stock to warm but not boiling. Quickly dip the meat in the stock and place on the French bread. Top with the green pea pesto and set the bun top in place.

CAPRESE FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the pesto: Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over a medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden brown in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Combine the pine nuts, basil, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon zest, garlic, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth and bright green.
• Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Put the bread on a baking sheet, cut-side up, and spread each piece with a few tablespoons of the pesto, saving any leftovers for another recipe.
• Top the bread with the mozzarella slices and bake until the cheese is melted, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Divide the tomatoes between the two pizzas and drizzle over the balsamic glaze. Tear some basil and sprinkle on top. Serve!

GRILLED FRENCH BREAD PIZZA WITH MUSHROOM PESTO AND FONTINA CHEESE

Steps:

• Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until softened, 30 minutes.
• Heat the grill to high.
• Brush the cremini or white button mushroom caps with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, cap side down and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the caps over and continue grilling until the mushrooms are cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the grill, let cool slightly then coarsely chop.
• Remove the porcinis from the soaking liquid and place in the bowl of a food processor with a few tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Add cremini mushrooms, garlic pulp, walnuts, parsley and thyme in a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the Romano cheese and pulse a few times to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.
• Brush the bread on the cut side with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly spread the pesto over the cut side of each half of bread. Top the pesto with the fontina cheese, return to the grill, cheese side up, close the cover of the grill and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with the remaining Romano.

PESTO AND MOZZARELLA FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the pesto: Heat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Combine basil, 1 garlic clove and pine nuts in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add Parmesan and salt, and pulse to combine.
• Prepare the pizza: Combine the 1/4 cup olive oil and grated garlic in a small pot over medium. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the garlic starts to sizzle (but doesn't begin to brown), 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place the French bread cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush cut sides with garlic oil. Bake until edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Spread the pesto over the two halves all the way to the edges and top with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is evenly melted, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to broil and broil (watch carefully!) until the cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with red-pepper flakes, oregano and more Parmesan, if you like.