Guest Post - Camille Style's Bruschetta with Carrot Pesto

I am thrilled to kick off our Thursday Guest Recipe Post Series with my friend Camille Style's Recipe for Bruschetta with Carrot Pesto.  I can't wait to make it myself!  Camille has a fantastic blog with a very loyal following and has a book coming out this Fall!

From Camille:

One night a few weeks ago, when I was trying to decide what to do with the massive amount of beautiful carrots that I’d picked up at the farmers’ market, I got the idea for this carrot pesto. It couldn’t be simpler to make — really just a handful of ingredients that I always keep on hand so it can be whipped up at a moment’s notice. Something about the combination of basil, garlic and roasted carrots is so addictive, and I’ve been serving the pesto alongside grilled pork tenderloin, as a spread for the most mouthwatering picnic sandwiches, and (my personal favorite) as a surprising topping to this carrot bruschetta. It’s a double dose of delicious carrots — they’re in the pesto, as well as grilled on top — and the vibrant colors are guaranteed to “wow” guests at any summertime gathering. And the best part is: these can be completely assembled before anyone arrives, so by the time the party rolls around, you can be nibbling these with your guests with a glass of sangria in hand!

**photos by Buff Strickland for Camille Styles

Bruschetta with Carrot Pesto

Ingredients

for the carrot pesto:

1/2 pound carrots, sliced

extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup classic basil pesto, store-bought or homemade (I like this recipe)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

for the bruschetta:

1 crusty baguette, sliced thinly on the bias

1 bunch small carrots, multicolored if you can find them

1/2 cup feta (I like goat feta, but you can use your fave)

6 basil leaves, chiffonade 

course sea salt, like Maldon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss sliced carrots with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer, then roast for about 20 minutes, until carrots are soft and caramelized on the edges.

In a blender or food processor, combine roasted carrots with pesto and red wine vinegar. Pulse until a chunky paste forms (you can make this smoother to your liking.)

Preheat a grill pan to high heat, and slice the baby carrots into long strips as thinly as possible on the bias (or shave on a mandoline.) Grill the carrot slices for 1 minute per side, then remove to a plate.

Brush baguette slices with olive oil, then grill 1 minute per side, or until grill marks show. Top each baguette slice with a scoop of carrot pesto, a couple of grilled carrot slices, and a sprinkle of feta, basil ribbons and sea salt. Eat!