Crostone with Roasted Peppers and Pistachio Pesto

The crostone with roasted peppers and pistachio pesto is a dish that combines the sweet and slightly smoky flavor of roasted peppers with the richness and freshness of pistachio pesto. Here’s the recipe for this tasty appetizer.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of homemade bread
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 yellow bell peppers
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• Salt and pepper as needed

For the pistachio pesto:

• 100 g of unsalted shelled pistachios
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• A handful of fresh basil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Start by roasting the peppers. You can do this in several ways: in the oven at 200 °C for about 30-40 minutes until the skin blackens and peels off easily, or over a grill or gas flame until they are well charred on the outside. After roasting them, place them in a plastic food bag or cover them with cling film to let them sweat: this will make peeling easier.

2. Once the peppers have cooled, peel them, remove the seeds and any white inner parts, and cut them into strips.

3. To make the pistachio pesto, put the pistachios in a blender along with the garlic, basil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and the oil. Blend until you get a creamy consistency, adding more oil if necessary.

4. Toast the slices of homemade bread until they are golden and crispy.

5. Assemble the crostones by spreading a generous amount of pistachio pesto on each slice of bread, and then adding the strips of roasted peppers.

6. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Did you know?

Pistachio pesto is a lesser-known but very tasty variant compared to the classic Genoese pesto. In Sicilian cuisine, the Bronte pistachio is highly valued and often used in both sweet and savory recipes, thanks to its unique flavor. Adding pistachio pesto to crostones with peppers creates a very interesting combination of flavors and represents a great way to start a meal.