Roasted Red Pepper Pesto with Pasta
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
663 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Snacks
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto with Pasta
Description
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto with Pasta uses roasted red bell peppers, blistered and peeled to capture their sweetness and smoky flavor. These are blended with walnuts, garlic, fresh basil leaves, grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The mixture is pulsed enough to combine but still keep a bit of texture, preventing it from becoming a smooth puree. Salt and black pepper adjust the seasoning to taste.
The pesto is tossed with freshly cooked al dente pasta, reserving some pasta water to adjust consistency, resulting in a flavorful coating on the noodles. The combination yields a sauce that is rich, herbaceous, and slightly sweet with nutty undertones from the walnuts and cheese.
Besides pasta, this pesto can be spread on bread or pizza, or added to grilled or baked fish. It is adaptable to other pasta shapes like fusilli, tagliatelle, or gnocchi. Adding ricotta can bulk it up for a cannelloni filling, broadening serving options.
Ingredients
- 14 oz pasta I used casarecce made by Valle Del Grano Sicily
- 3-4 bell pepper washed, tops and seeds removed, red
- 1-2 small garlic peeled and cut into pieces, cloves
- extra virgin olive oil as required
- 3 ½ oz walnuts shelled
- 1 handful basil fresh leaves
- 3 ½ oz parmigiano reggiano grated. Vegetarians will want to use vegetarian cheese.
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste, ground
- parsley chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).
- Place the cleaned red bell peppers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the skins begin to blacken and blister.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Peel the skin of the red peppers and cut into pieces.
- In a blender, combine the walnuts and garlic. Pulse until the pieces are finely chopped. Add the roasted pepper pieces, basil leaves, half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. Pulse again until the mixture is evenly blended but retains some texture. If the pesto seems too dry, add a little more olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Now your red pepper pesto is ready!
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt to the water and bring it to a boil again. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Add the roasted red pepper pesto to the cooked pasta. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve the desired consistency. Mix well.
- Serve the pasta immediately, topped with additional grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- This pesto is versatile: use it on pizza, bread, or grilled fish for varied meals.
- Different pasta types like fusilli, tagliatelle, or gnocchi pair well with this pesto.
- Adding ricotta to the pesto creates a creamy filling suitable for stuffed pasta such as cannelloni.
- Homemade casarecce pasta can be used if available but is not required.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 663 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 663kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 87g | 29% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 13g | 76% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 22mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 448mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 569mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 3042IU | 61% |
| Vitamin C | 115mg | 128% |
| Calcium | 274mg | 27% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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