Cheesy Avocado Crab Stuffed Piquillo Pepper Ciabatta Pizzette’s with Sriracha Aioli.

Name: Cheesy Avocado Crab Stuffed Piquillo Pepper Ciabatta Pizzette's with Sriracha Aioli.
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 egg yolk; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; juice of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon sriracha (or more to taste); salt and pepper (to taste); 1 ripe avocado (peeled + pitted, chopped); 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese); 2 teaspoons dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped); 2 green onions (chopped); 8 ounces lump crab meat; 1/4 cup manchego cheese (shredded); 8 ounces blue cheese (crumbled (may sub goat cheese, mozzarella or your favorite cheese)); salt and pepper (to taste); 1 (16 ounce) jar grilled Piquillo Peppers (drained); 1 slice loaf ciabatta bread (into thick slices); olive oil (for cooking)

Skip to Recipe >

March 25, 2015

Posted in Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Seafood, Side Dishes/Vegetables

I made us an appetizer!!

Cheesy Avocado Crab Stuffed Piquillo Pepper Ciabatta Pizzette’s with Sriracha Aioli | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

I never make appetizers, but today, today I did!!

I feel like I should get a pat on the back or something…Whoo Hoo!

I don’t know why I never make appetizers, I mean they are SO good. Like better than a full meal because with an appetizer you just get to keep snacking, which is awesome.

Well I guess I kind of know why I never make appetizers. It’s because I pretty much never entertain. Well, unless you count snowboarder groupies, which I completely don’t.

Also, even though these crab stuffed piquillo pepper ciabatta pizzette’s are clearly an appetizer, I served them as dinner. It worked out pretty freaking well too. Toast, cheese, avocados and crab. Totally my thing… and my Dad’s… and Brendan’s. No one else’s in this family, but hey… their loss, our gain!

AND right, that aioli. Do not for get that aioli. Love that aioli!

I actually made it from scratch because I do not regularly keep mayo on hand and I clearly NEEDED to have some sauce for these pizzette’s. My dad has raised me to be a sauce freak. Never enough sauce. Never.

Making aioli from scratch was surprisingly easy, and I totally find comfort in saying that I made it 100% myself. This way, I know exactly whats going on in that sauce, you know?

But about those peppers and that ciabatta? Well yeah, those two are definitely the stars here. The peppers are really an app on their own, and originally this recipe was going to be just about the peppers, but then me being me, decided carbs were needed. Plus, I have become a major toast freak, so you know, I went with it.

Ok, that and, well the ciabatta was basically eyeing me down in the store. I just had to go for it. Go big or go home, right? Yuppers!

So you can serve the peppers and the toast on their own, but I find them better together. To each their own though.

The peppers are stuffed with a mix of avocado, crab and manchego cheese. They sort of have a Spanish thing going on, which I am totally into. The ciabatta/pizzette’s are so simple. They’re basically toasted ciabatta and blue cheese. Too good. If you are not a fan of blue cheese, just use your favorite melty cheese, anything will do (but I love blue cheese).

So what do you say? Lunch? Dinner (add a fried egg!)? Easter snack/appetizer (YES! You can make them in advance!)?

All three? Totally game for that.

END NOTE: Sorry for the semi-crazy post here, my mind is currently thinking about my broken dishwasher. It is FULL (so stickin’ full!) of dirty dishes that I now need to go hand wash. The thoughts are driving me insane and I am apologizing in advance for my scattered words today…hang in there though! This recipe is one of my favorites!!

And uumm???? It’s official, not only do all ovens HATE me, but pretty much all kitchen appliances hate me too. Even from afar! My parent’s dishwasher, that they got at the same time as me – same kind too, is also broken!

4.43 from 7 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Cheesy Avocado Crab Stuffed Piquillo Pepper Ciabatta Pizzette's with Sriracha Aioli.

By halfbakedharvest

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: avocado, crab, stuffed peppers

Even though these crab stuffed piquillo pepper ciabatta pizzette's are clearly an appetizer, I served them as dinner. It worked out pretty freaking well too. Toast, cheese, avocados and crab.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 361 kcal

Ingredients

Sriracha Aioli

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sriracha or more to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Peppers

1 ripe avocado peeled + pitted, chopped
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
2 green onions chopped
8 ounces lump crab meat
1/4 cup manchego cheese shredded
8 ounces blue cheese crumbled (may sub goat cheese, mozzarella or your favorite cheese)
salt and pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) jar grilled Piquillo Peppers drained
1 slice loaf ciabatta bread into thick slices
olive oil for cooking

Instructions

Sriracha Aioli

Place the egg yolk in a large mixing bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk vigorously until creamy and pale for about 2 minutes. Next add the smoked paprika and a pinch of salt, whisking vigorously for another minute. The mixture should be starting to thicken. Now, slowly begin to add the olive oil to the mixture, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, while continuously whisking fast to incorporate the oil. Next whisk in the sriracha, and then the salt and pepper to taste. The aioli will be thick and creamy in texture. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Peppers

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl add the diced avocado, mascarpone cheese, dijon mustard, lemon juice, cilantro, green onions, crab meat, machego cheese and about 2 ounces of crumbled blue cheese. Mash everything together with a spoon and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Grab your piquillo peppers, and begin stuffing about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in each pepper. Place the stuffed peppers on a lightly greased baking sheet. Once all the peppers have been filled, place them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is oozing out.
Remove the peppers from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Place the ciabatta on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until toasted (watch carefully). Remove and sprinkle each piece of toast with blue cheese. Place back in the oven for about 30 seconds. Remove from the oven.
Serve the peppers atop the ciabatta toast and drizzle with aioli. Enjoy warm!

Recipe Notes

*The aioli can be made about 3 days in advance. *The peppers can be stuffed and stored in the fridge 1 day in advance, prepare as directed.

Off I go…my dirty dishes await me…probably laughing at me too. Help!

If you make this recipe, be sure to tag your photo #halfbakedharvest.