sun-dried tomato pesto

I love making pesto sauces to go with pasta. This pesto is especially great in the winter when it’s hard to find tasty, ripe tomatoes. It’s bold and full of flavor. Plus it’s a great source of vitamins. Red peppers and tomatoes are great sources of vitamin C. Tomatoes also provide us with potassium and vitamin K as well as the antioxidant lycopene (which helps protect us against cancer and heart disease). Red peppers provide us with beta-carotene which the body then converts to vitamin A which helps support our vision and eye health.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ⅓ cup (120g) jar of marinated, sliced sun-dried tomatoes (I usually buy them in olive oil). Drain off a little of the olive oil prior to using and then use the olive oil as necessary to thin out the pesto.

1 large red pepper

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 small bunch basil , plus extra for garnish

2 tablespoon parmesan

14 oz (400g) fusilli pasta

Creating the Magic!

• Cut the large red bell pepper or 2 small ones in half and remove the white part inside and the seeds. Rub the pepper inside and out with olive oil (around ½ tbsp) and place cut side down on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until completely soft and slightly charred on the outside. Alternatively, use a whole roasted red pepper from a jar or can (drain out the liquid).

• When the pepper has been in the oven for 20-25 minutes bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (follow packet instructions). Before draining reserve 2 cups/500ml of pasta water for later.

• Add the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, 1 tablespoon of parmesan and a sprinkling of pepper to a food processor. Add the hot roasted pepper (remove the green stalks) and blitz to a smooth paste, taste for salt and add if needed.

• Add the paste to the drained pasta and gradually add the reserved pasta water a little at a time and stir the pasta to coat it in the sauce. You will not need all the water, it’s important to add just a little at a time and then stir the pasta until it’s just coated in the sauce. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with Parmesan and basil.

Note: This pesto would also make a great dip. If eating it as a dip, simply place all the pesto ingredients (apart from the pasta) in the food processor and blend until you have a paste (no water is needed). Add a little olive oil to thin out the paste as needed.