I was going through some old blog posts when I came across this post by Sher at the blog, What Did You Eat?. This was her last post before she passed away a year ago. I never knew her but I enjoyed her blog and made some of her recipes. I thought it would be a fitting tribute to make this yesterday.
This pasta sauce is fantastic! Quick to make, it took longer to boil the water than to make the sauce. It is a great sauce for summer since it requires no cooking. Dinner was ready in 10 minutes and everyone enjoyed it. I used jarred roasted peppers.
Angel Hair Pasta With Red Pepper Pesto
Adapted from Food & Wine
3 medium red bell peppers or bottled roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 small garlic clove, smashed
1/4 cup basil leaves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound angel hair pasta
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
Roast the red peppers over a gas flame or under the broiler, turning
occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer the peppers to a bowl,
cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Peel, core and chop the peppers.
In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Let cool.
Transfer
the peppers and pine nuts to a blender or food processor. Add the
garlic and whole basil leaves and blend until coarsely chopped. Add the
olive oil and cheese and puree to a chunky pesto. Season with salt and
pepper.
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, add the pasta
and cook until al dente. Drain and cool slightly under running water.
Transfer the pasta to a bowl and toss with the pesto. Season the pasta
with salt and pepper. Top with the chopped basil and pecorino and serve
at room temperature.
