Pesto and Goat Cheese Garlic Bread is a meal in toast form. Roasted garlic spread over toasted bread with homemade pesto and crumbled goat cheese. A perfect party appetizer or fancy lunch.

I have talked about it before on here,  but I love a good book.

I love a good book even more if it has good food worked into the story.

Last time I was reading a spooky Italian witch book around Halloween, I shared a tomato based pesto recipe.

FYI I did just see Trader Joe’s is now selling something similar.

Save your money and make my recipe instead. Just sayin.

I read the second book in the trilogy about the witches from Italy and I wanted this garlic bread the second I read about it.

It is a fairly easy recipe. It can be made in parts ahead of time.

The process is threefold:

• Roast the garlic.
• Blend together the pesto.
• Toast the bread and assemble.

Ok, the last step in making the bread was sort of two steps in one.

You get it.

You can roast the garlic and make the pesto a few days ahead of time.

Toast the bread when you get the craving for this garlic lovers’ dream.

Spread a clove of roasted garlic over the warm toast like butter.

Top with a heaping spoonful of pesto, a big pinch of goat cheese, then a drizzle of EVOO, and the a final dash of crushed red pepper flakes.

This is all the meal I really need.

I made my toast with homemade sourdough, but you could easily use ciabatta or even a baguette.

Make mini slices of baguette and top the same way as above.

You end up with the perfect holiday appetizer.

Everybody will have garlic breath, so you don’t need to feel self-conscious.

Pesto and Goat Cheese Garlic Bread

Yield: Makes 4 large pieces or 8 halves

Toasted bread topped with roasted garlic, homemade pesto, and crumbled goat cheese. Perfect as a quick lunch or make it mini for an appetizer.

Print

Ingredients

• for the pesto:
• 2 cups packed fresh basil, stems removed
• 1 cup packed spinach
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup almonds or pine nuts
• zest form 1 lemon
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• for the garlic:
• 1-2 whole bulbs of garlic
• 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch of salt
• for the bread:
• slices of crusty sourdough, French baguette, or ciabatta bread
• 4oz chevre goat cheese, crumbled
• crushed red pepper flakes
• extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the top 1/4 off each bulb of garlic. Place the garlic in the center of a piece of foil. Drizzle with oil and add a pinch of salt. Seal the garlic inside the little foil pouch and roast for 35-40 minutes until golden and soft. Let cool until it can be easily handled.
2. While the garlic roasts, add the basil, spinach, garlic, lemon zest, nuts, and cheese to a food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Add the lemon juice and half the olive oil. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. Add more oil if needed. Transfer to a jar on container with an air-tight lid.
3. Toast the bread. Take one or two cloves of roasted garlic out of the bulb and spread it on top of the toast in an even layer. Top with a heaping spoonful of pesto. Sprinkle goat cheese on top.
4. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy warm.

Notes

Roasted garlic and pesto can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for a week before using.

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