Sweet Pepper Pesto Pasta Recipes

ITALIAN SWEET PEPPER PESTO, AMALFI COAST STYLE

Steps:

• Clean the peppers; slice off the tip and stem, then make a slit down the side. Scrape away the seeds and membranes, then thinly slice the peppers crosswise.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the peppers, basil, and garlic and pulse a few times just to incorporate the ingredients. Add the almonds, Parmigiano, and salt and continue to pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• With the machine running, pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and process until the ingredients are creamy and well-blended. Taste for salt, and adjust to taste, if necessary.
• Once finished, scrape the pesto into a small bowl and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface to prevent oxidation before use.

ROAST PEPPER PESTO WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the roasted garlic cloves. In the small bowl of a food processor, whizz the roasted peppers, garlic, cayenne, almonds, Parmesan and oil until it makes a rough pesto consistency. Taste and season.
• Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan with the pesto, basil and a little of the cooking water, then heat through. Serve with extra Parmesan, if you like.

SWEET PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Grill or bake the peppers till the thin skins are black; this usually takes about 20 minutes.
• Take them out and put them into a plastic bag; they will soften and become moist, and the skin will peel off. Rinse the peppers to get rid of any flakes of burnt skin.
• Process the peppers, the pine nuts, and the olive oil in a blender till you obtain a creamy paste; thin it to a looser paste if you want, with more olive oil. If adding fresh basil, make sure the leaves are washed and patted dry before adding to the blender jar.
• Add salt and ground pepper to taste.
• Keep in a well-covered jar in the fridge, and use it up within two weeks.

SWEET PEPPER PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to pack instructions.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the onion over a medium-high heat for 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Drain the peppers, reserving their juice, then stir into the onion. Cook for 2-3 mins to heat through. Blitz the mixture in a food processor, with 75ml/2½fl oz reserved juice from the peppers and 75ml/2½fl oz cooking liquid from the pasta, to make a chunky sauce.
• Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the pepper mixture, then season to taste. Toss with the rocket or watercress while still hot, so it just begins to wilt, then serve.