Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 cup shelled walnuts
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes, halves oil-packed
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• additional olive oil, for the bread
• 1 loaf Italian bread

Directions

1. 1

   Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and slide into a 350 deg oven. Toast, shaking once or twice, until fragrant, crisp and brown, 13 minutes.

2. 2

   Slice the garlic the long way, degerm if necessary. Strip leaves off the thyme sprigs.

3. 3

   WIth food processor running, drop garlic down the chute. Add tomatoes and pulse to bits. Add walnuts, thyme leaves, cheese and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pulse, not too finely. Stir in vinegar and oil.

4. 4

   Slice12 pieces of bread. Coat a cast-iron skillet with a thin fim of olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add bread and toast golden, 1 minute per side. Repeat with remaining slices.

5. 5

   Spread each slice of bread with a spoonful of pesto. Sprinkle with salt.