We Love Cooking! + tomato

:: Basil Pesto and Roasted Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes

Well I did think my plan to have a party on Saturday night, based purely on drinking Mohito's, was good one, however it's now Monday and my head still hurts. After not drinking for almost two months, the alcohol had me in a pretty bad way, and the drinking games most certainly did not help! (Damn you Paulie!) But I have to say the one thing that tickles me pink about having people over, is making dainty party food! It can come in so many different forms, a large sit down meal, a buffet style banquet, and even my favourite, finger food. Entertaining for me has to be easy, it has to be quick, and it's gotta be tasty! I have some more recipe's from Saturday night but here is just one of the quick snacks I came up with:

Basil Pesto with Roasted Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes on Toast

For the Pesto:

  1. One large handful of basil leaves.
  2. One large handful of pine nuts.
  3. 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  4. One large handful of grated Parmesan Cheese.
  5. A good sprinkle of Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper.
You can either do this by hand in a pestle and mortar, or in a food blender, I have a handy little attatchment for my Braun hand blender which does the job nicely. Bung all the ingredients together in the mixer and blitz for about 10-20 seconds. Then depending on the texture of the green paste add more or less oil, different mixes will require different amounts, so don't be afraid to experiment. The pesto can be used straight away or kept in a jar, in the fridge, with a covering of olive oil.

For the Roasted Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes:

  1. Two punnets of Cherry Tomatoes.
  2. 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  3. 1 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar.
  4. 1 tbsp of Dried Oregano.
  5. A pinch of Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper.
Half all the tomatos and tumble into a roasting tray. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over them, making sure not to allow the insides to fall out. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and oregano on top and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes at 200oC. Simple!

To finish the dish, toast slices of good hearty bread under the grill, and allow to cool. Spread the pesto generously on the bread, and add a few of the cherry tomatoes on top. Garnish with an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and serve! Delicious!

basil, cherry tomatoes, entertaining, Food, herbs, nuts, oregano, parmesan, pesto, and more:

:: Basil Pesto and Roasted Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes + tomato