Pesto Crostini Appetizer Food

PESTO CROSTINI APPETIZER

Steps:

• Brush crostini slices with olive oil and grill or toast in oven until golden brown. Heat oven to 375, place round slices on baking sheet, toast 8-10 minutes, at 8 minutes turn over to toast other side. Toast additional 8 minutes.
• In food processor fitted with steel blade, pulse walnuts one or two times, add arugula leaves, basil, parsley, 2 tablespoons cheese and garlic, pulse until smooth.
• Scrape down sides and add softened butter and olive oil. Pulse mixture until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper if desired to taste.
• Spread small amount of pesto on crostini, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, top with sliced tomato.

PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Blend dressing, basil and 1/3 cup Parmesan in blender until smooth.
• Spread cream cheese spread onto toast slices; top with basil mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

PESTO BRUSCHETTA ON GARLIC CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make Pesto: Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorino, and pine nuts in food processor or blender. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil until fully incorporated. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and rub with cut side of garlic. Bake until beginning to crisp, about 8 minutes.
• While bread crisps, make pesto and halve cherry tomatoes lengthwise. Top crostini with pesto spread, fresh mozzarella and grape tomato slice.

MUSHROOM PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl of hot water; press to submerge. Let stand until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Scoop out mushrooms, being carefully not to stir any dirt that may have sunk to the bottom of the water. Discard mushroom water.
• Combine the porcini mushrooms, button mushrooms, walnuts, garlic, and parsley in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup of the oil, blending just until the mushrooms are finely chopped.
• Transfer the mushroom mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste. If not using mushroom pesto right away, cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent possible discoloration of mushrooms.
• Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Arrange the bread slices on pan, cut-side down. Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over the bread slices. Cook until pale golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can toast the bread in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheet. Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over the bread slices. Bake until pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Spread the mushroom pesto over the crostini. Arrange the crostini on a platter and serve.

PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Place the bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Combine butter and garlic; spread over bread. , Broil 3-4 in. from the heat or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Spread pesto over butter mixture; top with tomatoes and cheese. Broil 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

PESTO AND MOZZARELLA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Place bread slices in single layer on baking sheet.
• Bake 7 to 10 min. or until bottoms of bread slices are golden brown.
• Meanwhile, cut cheese into 6 slices, then cut each slice into 4 pieces. Remove baking sheet from oven.
• Heat broiler. Turn bread slices over; spread with pesto. Top with cheese.
• Broil, 6 inches from heat, 1 min. or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

ROASTED RED PEPPER PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly on both sides with the 1/4 cup olive oil.
• Lightly toast both sides of bread in oven.
• While the crostini are still warm, rub the top of each one with 1 of the garlic cloves. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red peppers, the remaining garlic clove, the almonds, cheese, 3 Tbs. of the parsley, the lemon juice, the 2 teaspoons olive oil and the cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place the crostini in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Spread about 2 teaspoons of the goat cheese on each crostini.
• Bake until the cheese is slightly soft and the crostini are warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and top each with about 1 Tbs. of the red pepper pesto.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley.

BEEF CROSTINI WITH PESTO MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°. Place beef in ungreased shallow baking pan. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle all sides with salt, pepper and rosemary. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of beef. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until thermometer reads at least 140°. Cover beef with aluminum foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes until thermometer reads 145°.
• While beef is baking, mix pesto and mayonnaise in small bowl.
• Reduce oven temperature to 400°. Brush bread slices with 3 tablespoons oil. Place in ungreased jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp.
• Meanwhile, cut beef into thin slices. Top each bread slice with beef and 1 teaspoon pesto mayonnaise. Garnish with basil leaf. Arrange appetizers on serving platter.

SUPER EASY APPETIZER - TOMATO AND PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Defrost the puff pastry, and cut into 16 squares.
• Cook in moderate oven for 10 minutes so that the pastry is slightly golden and starting to puff.
• On each square, place a bocconini slice, followed by a cherry tomato (flat size down) and a small blob of pesto.
• Put back into oven and cook a further 10 minutes until the boconncini have started to melt.
• Serve immediately.