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Pasta with Pesto Rosso
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This rich, intensely flavored red pesto gets savoriness from pecorino and garlic, sweetness from roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes, and richness from nuts and olive oil. Though great tossed with pasta, also try stirring it into risotto or other cooked grains. You can make the pesto in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
4 to 6
Servings
30 minutes
1 pound farfalle OR fusilli OR other short pasta shape
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers, patted dry and roughly chopped
2 ounces (without rind) pecorino Romano cheese, cut into rough 1-inch pieces, plus finely grated pecorino Romano to serve
1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
1/2 cup pine nuts OR slivered almonds
1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional garnish: Chopped or shredded fresh basil
Ingredients
-
1
pound farfalle OR fusilli OR other short pasta shape
-
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
-
1½
cups roasted red peppers, patted dry and roughly chopped
-
2
ounces (without rind) pecorino Romano cheese, cut into rough 1-inch pieces, plus finely grated pecorino Romano to serve
-
1
medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
-
½
cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
-
½
cup pine nuts OR slivered almonds
-
¼
cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
-
½
teaspoon red pepper flakes
-
Optional garnish: Chopped or shredded fresh basil
Directions
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01In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
-
02While the pasta cooks, in a food processor, combine the roasted peppers, pecorino, garlic, oil, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Process until almost completely smooth, scraping the bowl as needed, about 30 seconds.
-
03Add the pesto to the pasta in the pot along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, then toss; add more reserved pasta water as needed so the pesto coats the noodles. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve drizzled with additional oil and sprinkled with grated pecorino.
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Reviews
October 16, 2023
Quick and delicious
Great, simple recipe and make regularly now.
August 2, 2022
Delicious
This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. Great weeknight pasta dish using easy to find ingredients.
June 26, 2022
Excellent
Sophisticated flavour and super simple. Added to the family favourites.
September 22, 2022
A Nice, Simple Surprise
I didn't have pine nuts so I substituted unsalted pistachio meats, which have a nice buttery flavor. I used peppers I had roasted on the grill myself because I had them, and was really surprised at how good this is. Peppers--red and green and other sweet peppers, all kinds of chiles--have an amazing rainbow of flavors. Most of the flavor comes from the red peppers, but the cheese and sun-dried tomatoes add up to more than the sum of all the parts. Sort of sweet-tasting, this is wonderfully delicious. I'm going to make it again tonight with a jar of peppers from Trader Joe's but still going to use pistachios.
September 3, 2022
Yum - great for s tasty weekday meal!
Even the leftovers are yum!
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