Sometimes rabbit food can be a good thing. When the weather turns Springy just like a scene from Bambi all we want to do is go frolicking with our furry forest friends without a gluttonous meal weighing us down.
This carrot top pesto flatbread solves that problem — and is the perfect excuse to buy the prettiest carrot bunches that you see at farm-stands but then worry that you’ll end up wasting the lovely little tops. FRET NO LONGER, PESTO SAVES ALL.
This comes together ever so quickly, a blitz around the food processor and you’re nearly there. The pesto has a delightful toasty nuttiness from the pumpkin seeds which are my go-to for pestos because they are 1) so dang cheap and 2) so dang delicious. The carrot tops add a friendly herbaceousness that goes along like an over-eager pup that wants to lick everyone’s face. So throw it on everything!
Carrot Top Pesto Flatbread
Ingredients
For the Carrot Top Pesto:
- 1 bunch leafy carrot tops rinsed well
- 1 shallot chopped
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 1 tsp fresh oregano may sub thyme or other woody herb
- 1/2 lemon zested and squeezed
For the Carrot Top Flatbread
- 1 LB pizza dough
- 3-4 carrots peeled
- extra pumpkin seeds, parmesan, flaky salt for topping
Instructions
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PREHEAT oven to 420*.
Saute the garlic and shallot in a little bit of oil to gently color. Just a few minutes.
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Place pumpkin seeds, carrot tops, and garlic/shallot mix into food processor.
Blitz to fine grainy bits. With the motor running add the olive oil in a steady stream, scraping down as needed.
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Generously salt -- add parmesan, lemon, herbs -- and process once more. Taste and season.
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Stretch the dough out thinly on a pizza stone or sturdy baking sheet. Spoon and spread the pesto on top -- you won't use it all -- and bake 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp.
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While the flatbread is a-bakin', use a mandoline to ribbon the carrots. (If you don't have a mandoline, a vegetable peeler will work, it'll just take a little longer.)
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Finish the dish: Place the carrot slivers on top of the flatbread, top with crushed pumpkin seeds, flaky salt, a shower of parmesan and a swish of olive oil.
Slice and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Munchy appetizer for four or meal for two.
- Makes 1 1/2 cups pesto. Refrigerate leftovers and toss with pasta or dollop on scrambled eggies and whatever else strikes your fancy.
- Carrot top pesto can be made a day or two ahead. Place plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent oxidization. It keeps color pretty well.
- If you want the garlic flavor to be much more punchy, skip the sauteing step and just chuck the alliums in raw.
Stay Curious.
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