Spicy Red Pesto Pasta
Course:
Dinner
Ingredients
Roasted Pepper
- 1 Red Pepper
Tomato Mixture
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 50 grams Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 35 grams Pine Nuts
- 30 grams Tomato Puree
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1⁄2 teaspoons Chilli Flakes
- 1⁄4 teaspoons Salt
- Black Pepper
Pasta
- 20 grams Parmesan Cheese
- 60 millilitres Olive Oil
- 150 grams Dried Pasta
Steps
Roast the peppers (ahead of time, ideally)
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC fan.
- Slice the peppers In half, removing the seeds and ribs.
- Then place cut-side down on a baking tray, drizzle with a little oil, and roast for around 25 minutes (or until tender and lightly blackened on the skin).
- Allow the peppers to steam and cool for 10 minutes in a jar/covered bowl before carefully peeling the skin away. Once peeled, allow the roasted peppers to cool.
Make the pasta:
- Crush the pine nuts ahead of time in the pestle and mortar.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- In a separate, large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, tomato paste, garlic and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until mixture is toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl to let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the roasted red peppers and Parmesan to a food processor. Top with the cooled tomato mixture and the remaining olive oil, and pulse the mixture until you form a paste.
- Season the boiling water generously with salt, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Return the pasta to the pot, along with about ½ cup of the red pesto and ½ cup of the pasta water, and stir vigorously until the sauce is glossy and the pasta is evenly coated. Stir in additional pesto or pasta water to taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Divide among bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and top with torn basil. Shave some fresh lemon zest on top, if using. Serve immediately.
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022245-spicy-red-pesto-pasta