Happy Hour Bruschetta

The happiest of all the hours.

Hosting a happy hour is such a fun way to get friends together for a simple and stress free party at your home. Check out my tips on hosting a happy hour over at La Crema today! For a simple recipe to make to go with your spread, this pesto bruschetta is one of my favorites. It doesn’t take long to make and is bite-sized food that doesn’t require using utensils so guests can skip the formalities of having to sit down at a table setting.

INGREDITENTS

Baby tomatoes
1 petite french baguette
Garlic powder
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Peheat the oven to 350°. Slice the baguette and dice the tomatos.

To make the Pesto, place the pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Meanwhile, brush EVOO and garlic powder on your slices of bread. Mix the diced tomatoes and pesto together in a seperate bowl and spoon 1/4 cup onto each slice of bread. Bake for 15 – 20 min, until the bread is light crisp and browned.