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Penne alla Pesto Rosso

Posted in Easy, Entrees, Entrees, Fast, Food Styling, Pasta, The Art of Making Food Beautiful, Vegetables & Side Dishes on March 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Photo by David Bishop

dbishop.net

Pesto Rosso is traditionally a Sicilian dish. I changed it up a bit for simplicity and my own personal taste . It is usually made with ground almonds. I love the rich, savory, buttery flavor and texture of pine nuts, which balance the bright sweet sun dried tomatoes and the fragrant fresh basil. I like leaving them whole for the tooth feel and the extra pop of flavor released by chewing whole pine nuts. Toasting the pine nuts in olive oil brings out their nuttiness and is augmented by the Pecorino Romano. The spicy crushed red pepper adds just enough piquancy to balance the dish perfectly. I tried this dish on a friend of mine who usually doesn’t like sun dried tomatoes. He loved it, saying it is one of the best things I have ever made.

 

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 2 cups Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Pine Nuts
  • ½ cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese plus extra for garnish
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Shallots, coarsely diced
  • 20 or so Basil Leaves, torn by hand
  • Tiny basil leaves for garnish
  • ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
  • ½ LB. Semolina Penne Pasta, Dried
  • 1 gallon Water, boiling
  • ½ cup Sea Salt

Directions:

  1. Saute the shallots in 2 TBS. of olive oil until they are soft but not browned
  2. Place the shallots in a food processor with the sun dried tomatoes, another 1 TBS. of olive oil (more if needed) and black and red pepper
  3. Run the processor until the mixture is homogenous but still has some texture
  4. Empty the mixture into a large mixing bowl
  5. Toast the pine nuts in the same pan used for the shallots in 1TBS. of olive oil
  6. Mix the basil in with the Pesto Rosso , ½ cup of the cheese and the toasted pine nuts
  7. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, ~ 8 minutes
  8. Mix the pasta into the bowl of pesto, tossing well
  9. Garnish with more cheese and the tiny basil leaves as desired
  10. Serve with your favorite white or red wine

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