top 10 recipe contender coming right up!!!
Yes, you read that correctly. Red pepper pesto. From time to time, I stumble on such a lip smacking idea that it warrents two back to back recipes featuring it. Especially when this pesto could very well be a top 10 contender from my recipe file! After mixing it with my warm zoodles, I quickly started dreaming of additional ways to feature it in a recipe. Sure, you can easily add it to your morning eggs, (I did – and it was fabulous!) or just simply enjoy it on your fancy charcuterie platter with your other veggies. To put it differently, this pesto is so amazing, it deserved its own appetizer recipe. Once you make it, you will be adding it to everything!
it never hurts to add a little butter and garlic…
Whenever I am making an appetizer on a baguette, I usually refer to it as bruschetta. I think that is because my first introduction to eating vegetables on a baguette slice was brushetta. Anyway, I also like to take a few extra minutes to toast it in the oven for that extra crunchy appetizer bite. And as long as you are toasting your baguette in the oven, you may as well add a little butter and garlic to sweeten the deal.
all roads are leading to …..
Equally important to the heavenly red pesto and the toasty garlic bread is the vegetable or meat that will sit on the top. These days all roads are leading to zoodles. This time around I decided to use a different attachment that is more commonly used as an apple slicer The result was gorgeous curly q circle zoodle noodle slices. I roasted the curly noodles in the oven while I spread the red pepper pesto on my toasted garlic baguette slices. As soon as the curly zoodle noodles were roasted, they were ready to be arranged on the baguette slices.
curly noodles and pesto = a perfect match!
The curly noodles were so fun to turn this way and that, quickly creating an exquisite appetizer. The roasted deliciousness of the zucchini zoodles mixed with the red pepper pesto was a perfect match. A little grated cheese and you will be ready to wow your family and friends with this gorgeous little bite. All things considered, this may be my new favorite appetizer!!! And the best part is that they are just as fabulous served at room temperature, so you can fuss with something else before the party is starting. As I always advise, better grab one to munch on later, because the tray will be empty in no time!
roasted curly zoodle bruschetta with pepper pesto
curly q roasted zoodle noodles sitting on top of scrumptious red pepper pesto… grab one before they are gone!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 sliced baguette 1x
- Category: apppetizer
- Method: oven and food processor
Ingredients
1 baguette sliced and roasted with garlic and butter
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup butter
8 small to medium zucchini spiralized (I used the apple slice attachment, but any zoodle will do)
olive oil, salt and pepper for roasting zucchini
Red pepper pesto:
2–3 roasted red peppers
zest from 1/2 lemon
1–2 TB fresh lemon juice
2 big cloves of garlic minced
2/3 cup pistachios
1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
2–3 TB olive oil part
salt and pepper to taste
Additional grated cheese for top of appetizer
Instructions
Zoodles:
Spiralize the zucchini into a large bowl and set aside ( I used the apple slicer attachment, but any form of zoodles will work)
Prepare the red pepper pesto:
Roast the peppers on an outside grill or over a gas flame until charred on all sides
Place the peppers in a large bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel for 20 minutes to make the skin easier to peel
Place roasted peppers, lemon zest, lemon juice, and minced garlic in the bowl of a food processor
Process until combined and peppers are pureed
Drizzle olive oil 1 TB at a time until desired consistency
Add pistachios and shredded gouda cheese
Pulse until combined
Salt and pepper to taste
Set red pepper pesto aside while you are roasting the zoodles and toasting the baguette
Baguette:
Place minced garlic in a glass baking pan and cover with butter
Melt in a 350 degree oven
Remove from oven and spread garlic around the pan with a fork
Cut baguette in slices
Double dip baguette in garlic/butter mixture
Place on baking sheet
Broil for a few minutes until golden brown
DO NOT LEAVE THE FRONT OF YOUR OVEN OR YOUR GARLIC BAGUETTE MAY BURN!
Remove form oven and flip baguette slices to other side and repeat (especially the part about not leaving your oven!!)
Remove and set aside
Zoodles:
Drizzle olive oil over zoodles
Arrange on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges
Remove from oven
Assemble the appetizer:
Spread red pepper pesto on toasted garlic baguettes
Arrange zoodles attractively on the top of the pesto
Place on serving platter
Grate parmesan reggiano cheese on the top
Keywords: zoodles red pepper cheese
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