Pesto on toast for the first course

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Jun 21st 2006 @ 7:36PM

pesto, cheese, sun dried tomato on toast

I made little pesto-topped toasts as an appetizer for an event. They're so easy to make, and yet, because the pesto packs such a powerful punch, and the red, white and green colors are in such contrast, it looks very fancy. It seems that sun-dried tomatoes are a good little pairing, too, as a few readers commented that adding them to the pesto makes a nice alternative.

How much bread, cheese, and pesto you use will depend, obviously, on how many of these little things you make, as well as on how much of the ingredients you put on each. I topped the toasts pretty heavily because I am gluttonous like that.

Remove crusts and cut each slice of a firm bread into four pieces - I made triangles. Spread each piece with a thin layer of softened butter, then bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes on each side. You can do it for longer if you want the toasts to have a very crisp texture. Spread with softened cream cheese, then top with a dollop of pesto and garnish with a sliver of sun-dried tomato. I would have used goat cheese except that the event's hostess said most of her guests probably wouldn't eat goat cheese (something about pregnant women and soft cheeses).

Filed Under: Vegetarian, Ingredients, How To, Methods
Tags: america, appetizers, baking, cheese, condiments, cooking, dairy, food, food and drink, food and wine, fruit, hors doeuvres, italy, pesto, recipes, vegetables