PHOTO CREDIT: KENDRA ARONSON.
This dish was inspired by a summertime Saturday morning market run—freshly baked bread, eye-popping sungolds, spicy padróns, bright green zucchini, farmstead cheeses, and crunchy nuts! A perfect appetizer for a late afternoon BBQ.
PADRÓNS
padrón peppers
flake sea salt
CROSTINI
zucchini, sliced and grilled
ciabatta, sliced and grilled
sungold tomatoes, halved
fresh brebis (or chèvre)
SPICY PISTACHIO PESTO
⅓ cup spicy roasted pistachios
⅓ cup hard sheep’s milk cheese
2 cups fresh basil leaves
5 cloves of garlic
red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup olive oil
salt and pepper
RECIPE CREATED BY
Kendra Aronson
PADRÓNS
Heat up a cast iron skillet over a medium-high flame. Once hot enough, add some olive oil and throw in the padrón peppers. Blister and blacken the peppers, remove from heat. Sprinkle with flake sea salt.
CROSTINI
Carefully slice the zucchini on a mandolin to get thin ribbons, drizzle with olive oil and grill until tender. Once done, remove from heat and set aside for assembly. Halve the sungold tomatoes, set aside for assembly. Slice the ciabatta bread (and grill if desired).
SPICY PISTACHIO PESTO
In a food processor, combine the pistachios, cheese, basil, and garlic. Pulse until combined into a paste. Add pinches of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Blend together and slowly drizzle in oil as it forms into a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and spiciness, adjust accordingly.
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Time to plate! Top half of the crostini with a generous amount of fresh brebis—this French word refers to sheep’s milk, whereas chèvre refers to goat’s milk—and halved sungolds. Top the other half of crostini with a spoonful of spicy pistachio pesto and the thinly sliced grilled zucchini.
Serve alongside salty padrón peppers, extra whole sungolds, and pistachios in their shells.
Kendra’s suggestions, if possible use:
Fresh brebis and La Panza Gold sheep’s milk cheese by Rinconada Dairy
Basil by SLO Grown Produce
Olive oil by Lone Oak Olive Oil
Ciabatta by La Migliore Italian Bakery
