Pesto Bruschetta Recipe: How to Make Pesto Bruschetta

Pesto bruschetta is an appetizer combining two popular Italian foods: basil pesto and tomato bruschetta. Basil pesto is an emulsion of fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil traditionally made in a mortar and pestle, but a food processor works too.

Traditional bruschetta consists of toasted bread, also known as crostini, rubbed with raw garlic and tomato. The more standard version of bruschetta is toasted bread slices topped with a chunky mixture of chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, red onion, garlic, and fresh basil.

The easiest way to make pesto is to blend basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in the bowl of a food processor, then stream in the olive oil while the processor runs. However, if you want to make traditional Ligurian-style pesto, you’ll need a mortar and pestle. Here’s how to make pesto:

1. 1. Grind the pine nuts and garlic. Using a mortar and pestle, grind a small handful of pine nuts into a fine paste. Add a garlic clove and pound to incorporate.
2. 2. Add the basil. Add two large handfuls of basil leaves (tear any large leaves in half) and keep pounding until the herb breaks down and incorporates into the pesto. This process should take at least five minutes.
3. 3. Finish with cheese and olive oil. Add a cup of grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese (or a mix of both) and pound to incorporate. Stream high-quality extra-virgin olive oil into the pesto, constantly pounding, until it reaches your desired consistency. Season the pesto to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.

Toasted bread cut on the diagonal is much easier to eat than straight-cut slices of bread. Since pesto bruschetta is a handheld appetizer, biting directly into it is more common than using a fork and knife. Here are some other tips to consider:

1. 1. Use smaller varieties of tomatoes. Large tomato varieties have more seeds and skin than small tomatoes. Use grape or cherry tomatoes for juicy and snappy bruschetta. Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size.
2. 2. Top with various cheeses. Pesto and bruschetta both use fresh ingredients, and salty cheese adds depth to the appetizer. Top the bruschetta with fresh mozzarella, feta, or goat cheese, depending on personal preference.
3. 3. Mix the pesto with ricotta for a fluffy spread. For a sturdier bruschetta spread than pesto on its own, incorporate whole milk ricotta cheese into the pesto. The ricotta adds a creamy element to the appetizer and complements the flavors of the pesto and the bruschetta mixture.