Bruschetta with Sweet Pea Pesto, Prosciutto & Asparagus is a tasty little nosh, perfect for celebrating the first day of spring!
Oh, happy day!
Okay! So I’m starting to see a pattern here. Clearly I have a thing for sharing bruschetta recipes on the first day of a new season. I shared my Bruschetta with Figs, Prosciutto & Arugula on the first day of fall last year. Do ya’ll remember that?
This is a ritual I can get behind! What do you think?
It’s finally spring and daffodils are blooming, birds are chirping, lawns are lush and the fresh air is invigorating……IN MY DREAMS! That’s the thing about spring, right? Especially in our part of the country. No telling when nature’s quintessential springtime events will commence.
It’s a lucky thing for me that I adore the feeling of anticipation. I learned long ago, living in Upstate NY, that the anticipation of sunshine and springlike weather is as much a part of the transition from winter, as the actual flourish of warm winds, blue skies and pink tulips.
We know that the weather here is unpredictable…so we play along.
How about you? Is your climate showing signs of spring yet? I would love to know!
When I first started planning for this post – my first day of spring post – I knew it needed to be green. As kelly green as I could make it. So, of course, sweet peas and asparagus came to mind, immediately. With pesto a close second.
Most of the pestos I’ve made so far on CCB are green – basil, parsley, swiss chard… Why not try a sweet pea pesto, too?
Sweet pea pesto is fresh and sweet and captures the flavor of the season, perfectly.
I’d go so far as to say, if spring were a food it would be sweet pea pesto.
This, topping our garlic scented rounds of lightly charred bread is:
- garden-fresh
- crisp
- colorful
- vibrant
- healthy
- bright
Who can’t get behind food described this way, especially today?
Okay – so it’s no surprise that I love bread. Toast, to be exact. Is it not the ultimate comfort food?
At the end of the day, I’d have to say toast aka crostini aka bruschetta is my go-to comfort. And when we start topping it with things like prosciutto, sautéed asparagus, sweet pea pesto, and curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano, well, I’m just not sure I can contain myself!
Here’s to a lovely spring and the anticipation of sun showers, cherry blossoms, and Bruschetta with Sweet Pea Pesto, Prosciutto & Asparagus!
Buon Appetito!
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Bruschetta with Sweet Pea Pesto, Prosciutto & Asparagus
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Bruschetta with Sweet Pea Pesto, Prosciutto & Asparagus is a tasty little nosh, perfect for celebrating the first day of spring!
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz.) package frozen sweet peas
- 2 plump garlic cloves, minced, plus one clove sliced in half for bruschetta
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and more for shaving
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for bruschetta
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
- 6 thin slices prosciutto, each cut in half
- A crusty baguette, cut into 12 thin slices on the diagonal
Instructions
- Cook peas according to package directions, drain well, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish.
- Place remaining cooked peas, chopped garlic, toasted pine nuts, grated cheese, pinch of salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
- Begin blending and while motor is running, add 1/2 cup olive oil, blending until fully incorporated.
- Once that’s done, set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium high heat add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the asparagus, salt and pepper, and cook for 5 – 7 minutes, until it just begins to soften.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
- Once your toppings are ready, prepare the bread.
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Grill for 1 – 2 minutes on each side until golden and charred.
- Rub the bread on one side with the cut-side of the garlic.
- Pour a small drizzle of oil on top of each piece.
- Smear the bruschetta with the sweet pea pesto then top with prosciutto, asparagus, curls of Parmigiano, a couple sweet peas, a few toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!
CIAO!
these are perfect for 1st day of spring! love the sound so sweet pea pesto!
hehehe – ‘so sweet pea pesto’ – I’m using that! Thanks, my friend!
Happy Day! I am so excited for spring and can’t wait for green grass, leaves and flowers! This pesto is such a vibrant green! I love your trend of creating bruschetta to celebrate a new season! I hope warmer days are coming your way soon!
Slowly but surely I can see that spring is itching to make its entrance! So happy you like the bruschetta! Thank you, my friend!
I say bring on the bruschetta recipe every Spring (and how about every month too?) Love all these flavors and looks so delicious! Don’t ask me about the weather because I broke down tonight because we couldn’t grill out. We still have 8 inches of snow on the ground and it’s cold. I’m so ready for Spring and I feel like it’s still winter. BOOOOO! Anywho, back to this bruschetta, it may take Spring longer to show up here but when it does, the fresh veggies are wonderful. I’m so going to make this recipe with fresh peas as soon as they arrive 🙂
I like the way you think, Karrie! Every month? I say YES! Hey, I hear you about the snow – it’s getting old, but please tell me there’s the scent of spring in the air? It’s coming!! So happy you like the bruschetta; and I am with you – fresh peas in this little beauty won’t even compare! Thanks, dear!
Absolutely beautiful. I have never tried sweet pea pesto, but you made me a believer.
I think you’ll love it, Kevin! Thanks, my friend!
Spring indeed!! The color is everything I needed to believe its actually spring (still chilly here and no buds yet). These are delicious and the photos are beautiful, felt like I could reach right out and take one (one can dream) 🙂 . Take care.
Wish I could make you an entire plateful, my friend! Thank you!! 🙂
You are a bruschetta Goddess in my book. Or a snow Queen? Either way, you reign above all others in my book with these wonderful bruschetta creations. Keep ’em coming.
Ooooh – I’ll happily accept either title! 😉 You’re very kind, my friend! So happy you like the bruschetta! 🙂
LOVE this beautiful green!! The weather has been super crazy here, but I can definitely tell spring is in the air and I’m holding onto that with everything I’ve got!!
You’re so right…even though snow smells like spring! Thank goodness! Thanks for stopping by with a kind word, Sues!
I love the idea of celebrating each season with bruschetta since it’s my favorite! I can’t get over how amazing this is – sweet pea pesto and asparagus?! Yes. Prosciutto, double yes. Toasted bread, I mean – hello! Count me in for it all!
Consider yourself counted! Thank you so much, Michelle!!
Everything about this screams SPRING and I love it so so much! That pea pesto sounds especially delicious – I’ve got to try this!
And boy are we ready for SPRING!! Thank you, my friend!
Bruschetta is definitely the perfect way to celebrate a new season . This looks soooo good! I love any recipe that lets me eat more asparagus. Happy spring, Annie!
Happy spring, Kelsie! Don’t you just love sautéed asparagus?! Any way we can get it!! 🙂
I am trembling here. Some of my favorite ingredients combined, make me salivate just thinking of how I’m going to make up a batch of this ALL FOR MYSELF for dinner. I mean, who ever heard of sweet pea pesto!?! And then to top it off with prosciutto and parmigiano-reggiano. And pinenuts. Can dinner get better than this? Now, I’m simply craving the green. But I can see this as a great light summer dinner with a dry Finger Lakes riesling. Oh, this is exciting! Thank you so much for letting in the spring.
Oh yes – this will be a perfect dinner! It became our dinner (and lunch) as we munched on it all day long! Enjoy the pesto, my friend! 🙂
This bruschetta looks sooo beautiful! I love love love the sound of the sweet pea pesto – wow! I’ve never tried making pesto with peas before. Such a great idea! I can’t wait to try your recipe! <3
Thank you so much, Harriet! Enjoy the pesto!
It definitely doesn’t feel like spring here yet… but I can feel the spirit of the season in my SOUL. So I’m definitely over here celebrating! 🙂 And celebrating the new season with bruschetta?! Now that is a tradition I can totally get behind, Annie! I mean, carbs are a great way to celebrate ALL the things, right!? Especially when the carbs are this gosh darn pretty! Love this bruschetta, my friend! The sweet pea pesto looks divine and I love that you paired it with my favorite spring veggie – asparagus, and some crispy, salty prosciutto! FLAVOR BOMB! SO GOOD! Pinned! Cheers! <3 xo
Flavor Bomb is right!! Layers of fresh bright flavors all the way! Hey – how can we say no to carbs? I like the way you think, girlfriend! Enjoy this first day of spring… the ugly weather can’t be here for too much longer! Right? Have a great week, lady! Cheers! xo
You definitely captured spring with this recipe…perfect.
Thank you, Karen!! 🙂
Still woke up with some snow on the ground, and still lots that need to melt before I can call it spring! 🙂 . But your crostini make me smile and fill me with warmth like a sunny spring day. Love the flavor combination! So so good!!
So happy the bruschetta might take the sting, even if just a little, out of looking out at the snow! Thanks, dear!
It’s still chilly here Annie, but hopefully no more snow! What a perfect recipe to welcome spring! Love the pretty colors and it sounds right up my alley! I think I’d enjoy these for any meal of the day!
We enjoyed them for lunch and dinner, you could say! We grazed and nibbled on these babies all day! Thanks, Mary Ann!
What a lovely way to welcome Spring! I need some Spring green goodness to distract from the lack of actual Spring outside my window 🙂
Yes! Just focus on the bruschetta! You’ll forget all about what’s outside the window! Thanks, friend!
I love finding new ways to eat bruschetta! This pea and prosciutto version looks SO good. And that pesto with the asparagus looks delicious.Such a perfect recipe for the first day of spring!
It has everything I imagine springtime flavors to be! Thanks, Gayle! Have a great week, my friend!
I giggled a little when I first started to read your description of the first day of spring and then realized that it’s not so spring-like where you are….same here! We have a bunch o snow coming our way today followed by freezing rain. Oh yay! So exciting, right? Ugh. Well, at least I have this beautiful recipe to brighten my day and I love the how you post bruschetta recipes the start of the season. I love toast too and it definitely is a comfort food. So simple, yet so good. And this sweet pea pesto? What a brilliant idea, Annie! This looks unbelievably good and I know for a fact that I could eat just this for dinner. Pinned, of course. It may be snowing outside, but spring on my plate when I eat this. Happy Monday, my friend! XOXO
Snow and freezing rain? Mother Nature must have missed the memo! So happy you like the bruschetta! This is a fun one! And pretty to boot! We munched on it all day during the NCAA tournament. It’s a perfect food for grazers! Thanks for stopping by with a kind word, my friend! Stay warm! Cheers! XOXO
I’m on my way over!! I’ll have two for breakfast. Want me to bring over some coffee? Your crostini look so good. YUM!! Have a wonderful day! Abbracci!
Just get here! The coffee’s on! Thanks so much, my friend! 🙂