Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbs. slivered almonds, toasted
- 3 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz. goat cheese
Directions
Preheat an electric panini press according to the manufacturer's instructions.Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly on both sides with the 1/4 cup olive oil. Working in batches, place the bread slices on the preheated panini press and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. 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 tsp. olive oil and the cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Place the crostini in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spread about 2 tsp. 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. Makes 24 crostini.
