Pesto Feta open-face sandwiches

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Pesto is a very herbaceous spread which can be used in many ways. I remember seeing a recipe in a kids cook book about pesto. Thought to myself, must be simple enough to be included in a kids cook book. During our trip to Italy, I remember trying spaghetti with pesto sauce which was really tasty. The pesto was robust enough to coat the spaghetti and yet not overpower the dish. I made a mental note to myself to try and make pesto at home.

Pesto needs only 3 key ingredients – fresh parsley, pine nuts and garlic. Add some lemon juice and jalapeno to finish the sauce. I sometimes try to enhance pesto by adding toasted walnuts along with pine nuts. Pesto stays good in the fridge for several weeks. It can also be frozen for several months. Make in bulk and use as needed.

Some of the ways pesto can be used – as a sandwich spread, as a sauce for pasta, as a topping for pizza etc. Possibilities are endless ! Here, I am utilizing pesto to make an open-faced sandwich. Sandwich thins is a type of thin bread which is available in whole wheat and multi grain. I like the fact that it is thin and still offers a good bread-like structure to hold toppings.

First I toast it open faced, then spread pesto and top with feta cheese. Very simple sandwich but holds its own because of the lovely flavor of pesto. Sprinkle some crushed pepper flakes for heat. The sandwich can also be closed and packs well for a picnic lunch to-go.

Serve it with tomato soup for a hearty and wholesome meal.

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Pesto Feta open-faced Sandwich recipe

Ingredients –

• Sandwich –
  • Sandwich thins or any thin bread
  • Feta cheese crumbles
  • Red pepper flakes
• Pesto –
  • Curly leaf parsley – 1 big bunch
  • Pine nuts (toasted) – ½ cup
  • Walnuts (toasted) OPTIONAL – 10 pieces
  • Garlic (pealed) – 3-4 pods
  • Jalapeno – 1 or 2
  • Lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon) – 2 tbsps

Procedure –

1. For the pesto –
   1. Toast the pinenuts and walnuts and keep aside
   2. In a blender, add the parsley, toasted nuts, garlic, jalapeno and blend to a smooth paste with 1-2 tbsps of water
   3. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and mix very well
2. Assembling the sandwiches –
   1. Toast the sandwiches open-faced
   2. Spread a good layer of pesto evenly
   3. sprinkle feta cheese and top with red pepper flakes
   4. broil in oven for 2-4 mins until the feta tops turn color