If you are planning to serve deviled eggs over the holidays or if you are still finalizing your menu, make these Pesto Star Deviled Eggs. I fell in love with this idea from the moment I saw the recipe here.
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However, to be honest, I struggled A LOT with this recipe. I made it several times, starting back in July for a July 4th barbecue. Consequently, I was never quite happy with the result. The filling part was easy. Getting the whites right was the struggle. Umpteen eggs later I came close to solving my egg white issues for this Pesto Star Deviled Eggs.
The original recipe calls for spraying a pan and baking the egg whites. I found the whites bubbled on top and were discolored on the bottom. I tried a few versions in different pans with different sprays and still came up with fails. Then I tried lining the pan with parchment paper and the result was better. However, even though I used shortening to “glue” the paper to the pan, the parchment wrinkled in the pan. However, the whites were smoother and not discolored. So I went with this version for these Pesto Star Deviled Eggs.
Determined to make red and green fillings, I experimented with several versions to create for these Pesto Star Deviled Eggs. After trying roasted pepper and spinach, red and green pesto seemed the easiest solution. The best part about the pesto is after blended with the egg yolks, no other ingredients are necessary. I added a bit of sweet red paprika to top the red pesto mostly for color, not taste. However, it does add a nice pop of additional flavor.
Cutting the stars:
You need to be mindful of placement when using the star cutter. Try to get as many shapes as you can out of the sheet of cooked egg whites. I recommend staring on a corner with one of the tips of the star cutter. You will have egg white scraps leftover and this might seem wasteful. So, if you have any ideas for repurposing them, please let me know.
The consensus was the finished Pesto Star Deviled Eggs still needed a pop of salt. Use kosher salt if that is all you have on hand. However, if you have some flavored fancy finishing salt, scatter some over the tops before serving.
Pesto Star Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 16 eggs
- 1/4 cup red pesto
- 1/4 cup green pesto
- Finishing salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Grease the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan and line with parchment paper.
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Make sure you smooth out the parchment so there are no wrinkles.
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Separate the eggs.
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Whisk or beat the egg whites until foamy.
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Pour the beaten egg whites into the prepared pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
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Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and let cool.
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In the meantime, Lightly beat the yolks together.
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Scramble the yolks in a nonstick pan. Remove from heat and let cool.
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Divide the cooked yolks in half (use a kitchen scale)
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Place two disposable pastry bags in two tall glasses and fold the tops over the sides of the glasses.
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Place one-half of the cooked yolks in a food processor. Add the red pesto and pulse until blended. Transfer the mixture to one of the prepared pastry bags.
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Repeat with the other half of the yolks and the green pesto.
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Use a knife to loosen the egg whites from the side of the pan.
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Carefully flip the pan upside down onto a cutting board.
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Gently peel the parchment paper off of the whites.
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Use a star cutter to cut out shapes.
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Transfer the shapes to a serving platter.
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Pipe the red and green pesto fillings in the middle of the stars.
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Sprinkle with finishing salt and serve.
Like these Pesto Star Deviled Eggs? Try some of these other holiday appetizers:
