Peach & Pesto Crostini

Posted by Martina Birk on Thursday, May 23, 2024

Serve these crostini as a summer vegetarian appetizer. Sweet grilled peaches atop crisp bread & fresh mint pesto will have everyone going back for seconds.

summer / appetizers

I feel fall suddenly coming on. We went for a walk last night after dinner and Jack made fun of me for putting a sweater on. But really, after living here so long, I think I can consider 75 degrees a “cold front.”

While the break from the heat is a welcomed one, I can’t say that I’m quite ready for summer to end. I see sweet potatoes and butternut squashes starting to come in… there will be time for those… but for now I’m savoring the last of the good summer produce.

This was probably my favorite salad of the summer… I’ve made it over and over again in one variation or another. Here, I made it as crostini. Same stuff. Add bread.

See this post for more info about how I grilled my peaches. 


Peach & Pesto Crostini

  PrintAuthor: Serves: 6 crostiniIngredients
  • Bread, sliced, drizzled with olive oil, and grilled or toasted
  • 1 peach (firm, yet ripe)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Balsamic, for drizzling
  • A few leaves arugula for each piece
  • Fresh mozzarella, sliced (optional)
For the mint & basil pesto:
  • 1 packed cup mixed mint & basil
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (you could also use walnuts instead)
  • ½ garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • Juice and zest from ½ lemon
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more if desired
  • Pinches red pepper flakes
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Instructions
  • Slice peaches into 6 segments per peach. In a small bowl, toss with drizzles of olive oil and balsamic and just a small pinch of salt.
  • Heat your grill (or grill pan) to medium high heat and brush it with some oil. Place the peach slices on the hot grill and cook each side for 2-3 minutes without moving them (near the end you can gently peek to see how your grill marks are coming along). When your peaches are grilled, set aside and allow them to cool to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, make the pesto: Combine the mint and basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and olive oil in a small food processor with pinches of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Pulse to combine, adding more oil for a smoother pesto, or leaving it chunky – whichever consistency you prefer.
  • Assemble crostini: Top the toasted bread with the arugula, fresh mozzarella, if using, a dollop of pesto, and a peach slice.
    • NotesI sliced my peach into 6 segments, so this yielded 6 pieces. Alter quantities according to how many you want and how large your peaches are.3.4.3177
     

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