Roasted Beet Crostini With Pistachio Mint Pesto

Roasted Beet Crostini With Pistachio Mint Pesto

160330_Beet Pesto Crostini When I was in New York a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to eat some incredible food at some really rad restaurants. One of the places that we went for happy hour was Bar Primi and my favorite dish on the  menu was the roasted beets with pistachio pesto. I haven't stopped thinking about those amazing beets ever since and I knew I had to create my own version back at the farm. Since the mint is coming in strong I wanted to jazz up the pesto with some fresh herbs and I'm really happy with how this recipe turned out. Each crostini is topped with a healthy smear of creme friache which pairs really well with the earthy beets and zesty pesto. This is not only a lovely appetizer but it can also be enjoyed as a complete meal when served with a side salad. Fast, fresh and healthy to boot this is my kind of weeknight meal. I hope you all enjoy these crostini as much as we do. Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm.

Roasted Beet Crostini with Pistachio Mint Pesto

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Pesto:
  • 3/4 cup mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted pistachios
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + additional to thin if necessary
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • salt to taste
Crostini:
  • 4 medium sized beets, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch thick cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • creme friache
  • roughly chopped almonds for serving
  • 1 loaf of rustic style bread, cut into 1 inch thick slices

Preparation

  1. Prepare the pesto by blitzing the mint in a food processor until it is coarsely chopped. Add the pistachios and garlic. With the motor running slowly add the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Process until smooth, adding more oil to thin as necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the beets with the olive oil and roast in the oven until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Toss beets halfway through cooking.
  3. Increase the oven temperature to broil. Brush each slice of bread with a little olive oil. Place on the top rack in the oven and broil for about 2 minutes per side or until toasted to your liking.
  4. To serve spread a healthy layer of creme friache on each slice of bread followed by the beets. Drizzle with the pesto and sprinkle with chopped almonds and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Taste test as you go

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