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Baguette with Goat Cheese, Radish, and Farmer’s Market Pesto
The combination of the thin slice of chewy bread, tangy/creamy goat cheese, crisp radish, and bright pesto, all topped with a tiny drizzle of good olive oil, is heaven. (Photo: Andria Dilling)
Buzz writer Andria Dilling calls this a Farmer’s Market Pesto because it uses carrot and radish leaves in place of half the basil, resulting in a pesto that tastes fresher and brighter than the traditional all-basil version. This one also has less oil, less cheese, and an addition of a little lemon juice. Roasted, salted pepitas replace pine nuts, cutting the richness of the pesto we know and love.
1 cup packed carrot tops and/or radish tops (be sure to wash and dry them well)
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup roasted salted pepitas
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 clove garlic, peeled
Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup (or more to taste) olive oil
Thinly sliced baguette
Goat cheese
Thinly sliced radish
Olive oil for drizzling
Place the carrot and/or radish tops, basil, pepitas, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper in a food process. Pulse several times until you have a paste. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Taste for salt and pepper, and add oil a couple of tablespoons at a time, with the processor running, if you like a thinner consistency.
Spread the baguette slices with goat cheese. Top each with a slice of radish, a teaspoon or so of pesto, and a drizzle of olive oil.
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