Recipe for kale pesto, tomato and fontina sandwich
Uh-oh. I'd just planted seven basil plants in my herb garden, when my husband Ted, upon tasting this sandwich, proclaimed, "I like this pesto even better than basil pesto." What's a girl to do? Make an extra batch of kale pesto and stash it in the freezer, of course. Not only is it the flavor punch in this kale pesto, tomato and fontina sandwich, but also you'll love it as a topping for pasta, a filling for lasagne, or a slather for grilled chicken or beef. You'll probably think of 1,001 uses for kale pesto once you try it.
Kale pesto, tomato and fontina sandwich
From the pantry, you'll need: garlic, almonds, extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh black pepper, kosher salt.
Makes 2 cups of pesto, enough for 8-10 sandwiches or 1 pound of pasta.
Ingredients
For the pesto:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 large cloves garlic, trimmed and roughly chopped
4 cups roughly chopped kale leaves
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
For the sandwiches (per sandwich):
2 slices of crusty bread
2-3 Tbsp kale pesto (above)
4 slices of fontina cheese (use any cheese you like)
1 thick slice of beefsteak tomato
Directions
Place the almonds and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse 10 times, until the almonds and garlic resemble coarse meal. Add the remaining pesto ingredients, and process until the pesto is the consistency you like. If you wish, add more olive oil to make a smoother sauce.
To assemble the sandwiches, toast the bread in a toaster or on a grill. Spread pesto on one slice, and top with cheese and a slice of tomato.
More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Pasta with peas and parsley-walnut pesto
Spaghetti with basil pesto, tomato and olives
Risotto with pesto, peas and pine nuts
Penne with roasted red pepper pesto
Pesto soba
Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Grilled asparagus tartines with fresh ricotta, pesto and scallions, from Panini Happy
Pesto chicken quesadilla, from Inspired Taste
Turkey pesto meatloaf with tomato sauce, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Garlic scape and almond pesto, from In the Kitchen and On the Road with Dorie
Arugula pistachio pesto, from Love and Olive Oil
Posted by: Shawn @ I Wash...You Dry | May 31, 2012 at 12:20 PM
This looks absolutely tasty! I need to try this out!
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | May 31, 2012 at 05:24 PM
Shawn, once you try this pesto, you'll make it all the time. Do try!
Posted by: CJ at Food Stories | May 31, 2012 at 05:54 PM
Kale pesto ... sounds amazing!
Posted by: Kalyn | May 31, 2012 at 06:57 PM
Wow! I think this is such a fantastic idea! I bet I would love it on pasta too, and kale is so full of nutrients.
Posted by: anh@anhsfoodblog.com | May 31, 2012 at 07:01 PM
oh what a brilliant and tasty idea! Lydia, I am making those :)
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | May 31, 2012 at 07:14 PM
CJ, it's so good. And chock full of good vitamins, too.
Kalyn, I'm serving it over pasta for dinner tonight, with some shrimp and tomatoes tossed in.
Anh, you will love this. The garlic flavor with the kale is wonderful.
Posted by: Jeanette | June 1, 2012 at 04:13 PM
Lydia, you have really come a long way with kale, dare I say you are a kale lover now! What a fantastically healthy pesto.
Posted by: Kristi Rimkus | June 1, 2012 at 07:56 PM
What a terrific idea. I love kale and this can be made any time of the year, unlike basil.
Posted by: carol,boston @ cabinetstew | June 2, 2012 at 08:16 AM
TERRIFIC idea! Making this for my mom who is a kale lover!
Posted by: Mimi | June 3, 2012 at 05:50 PM
I just made this and boy is it got a kick! The sandwich looks amazing and I am looking forward to making the entire combination!