Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Tomato Crostini

Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Tomato Crostini has become my new favorite summertime appetizer! Summer is the perfect time to grill because you get to cook AND enjoy the nice weather!  Since summer is such a nice time to relax, it’s also nice to make something that is low maintenance and simple. When tomatoes are in season they shine on their own, and they also make a simple dish like this crostini really come to life.

Grilled bread is one of the best things ever! It’s like toast, but better because it gets a nice smokey flavor from the grill. Top the crunchy bread with creamy goat cheese, Lemony Basil Pesto, and fresh tomatoes, and it is the perfect balance of summer flavors and textures. Any pesto can be used on this, but I am completely obsessed with my Lemony Basil Pesto Recipe. It’s bright and fresh with a little tang from the garlic. Then, if you can find fresh tomatoes in season, this is one of the best ways to enjoy them!

Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Tomato Crostini

Author:

Maria Provenzano

You can find the recipe for Lemony Basil Pesto by searching “pesto” in the search section of my site!

Ingredients

• 1 baguette; or any bread you like!

• 4-6 oz goat cheese, room temperature

• pesto; I recommend my recipe for Lemony Basil Pesto

• 1 pint fresh tomatoes

• Olive oil

• salt; preferably sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions

1. *Heat the grill and make sure that it is clean

2. *Slice the baguette on an angle to make longer slices; about 1/2 to 1 inch thick

3. *Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the bread so that each side is evenly covered; using a pastry brush can help as well

4. *Place the bread directly on the grill and close the top

5. *Cook until you can see grill marks and the bread becomes golden

6. *Flip over and grill the other side

7. *Remove the bread from the grill

8. *Spread a good amount of goat cheese on each slice of the bread

9. *Spread a teaspoon or so of the pesto over the goat cheese on each piece of bread

10. *Slice the tomatoes into thin slices and place them on the pesto and goat cheese

11. *Sprinkle with a small amount of salt to taste