Crostini with Young Pecorino, Grilled Figs, and Arugula & Mint Pesto

By Realtychick

Ingredients

• For the pesto:
• 2 cups lightly packed baby arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• For the crostini:
• 12 thin slices of baguette, cut on the bias
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 9 fresh figs
• 12 fairly thin slices of young, soft pecorino cheese, each about the size of a baguette slice, at room temperature
• Flaky sea salt (Maldon) or fleur de sel
• Fresh ground black pepper

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Combine all ingredients in a mini food processor and process until a fairly uniform but not a completely pureed paste. Add more oil if needed to reach a consistency that is neither so thick that it stands up by itself, nor as thin as a sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Brush the baguette slices quite generously with olive oil. Toast in a 350 degree oven until nicely browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Cut the figs into quarters and brush the cut surfaces with olive oil. Grill as discussed in the headnotes, until the cut surfaces are well browned.

To serve, put a piece of pecorino on each piece of bread. Top with 3 of the fig quarters and then mash them gently with a fork so that they will lay down and hold the pesto. Spoon a generous amount of pesto on the figs and finish with a few flakes of sea salt and a couple grinds of black pepper.