1 garlic clove
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2/3 cup olive oil
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old (see Cook’s Note)
8 cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 small tomato, diced
For the pea pesto: Pulse together in a food processor the peas, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. With the machine running, slowly add 1/3 cup of the olive oil and continue to mix until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan over medium-high.
Brush both sides of each of the bread slices with the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and grill until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a platter and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons pesto on each slice. Top each crostini with 2 tomato halves and serve.
Giada’s Note:
Day-old bread works best here because it stands up to the pea purée and isn’t too soft in the center. If you don’t have any on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a 300°F oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.
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Serves 2-4
