Roasted Red Pepper Pesto...

[Barb856]

I am looking for a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper pesto and also for Artichoke pesto. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has made either one of these or both of them.

Thanks.

[RunnerKim]

This is the roasted red pepper pesto that is used on a pizza in CL Oct. 2000.

1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 cup basil leaves
¼ cup (1 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tbl tomato paste
1 ½ tbl water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 (5.2 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained

Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced. Add basil and next 6 ingredients (basil through bell peppers), and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once.

I always use peppers I've roasted myself.

Kim

[Jewel]

This sounds really good, but since I've never eaten/cooked any type of Pesto before (don't throw anything please...) I'm a bit confused. I thought Pesto was mainly olive oil? A tsp doesn't seem like it would even make a paste! Isn't this recipe just basically pureed and seasoned roasted red peppers?

What in the world would you use this on BESIDES pizza? Heck, I'm even confused on how you'd use it for pizza, as a replacement for sauce? Be nice, I'm a Pesto Virgin... :rolleyes:

[Barb856]

Thanks Runnerkim for the recipe. I had some roasted red pepper pesto which I bought at Safeway (quite expensive) and just enough for a small package of pasta. I believe the pasta I had it with was stuffed with black forest ham, ricotta cheese and swiss cheese. All you had to do was cook the pasta and stir in the container of roasted red pepper pesto. It was absolutely delicious. I don't believe, however, there was much, if any, basil in it. The next time I'm at Safeway, I'll check the package to see what exactly was in it and I'll print off your recipe and give it a try. I wanted to make my own as it would certainly be cheaper than buying it as the one package was only enough for DH and I.

[BlueMoose]

Jewel,

They used the pesto as a replacement for sauce on pizza and it was really good.

[kwormann]

What CANT you use pesto on????

Potaotes, veggies, pasta, pizza, sauce for tufo, as a salad dressing, spread on a sandwich (yum)....it is LIMITLESS!!!!!

[Vanessa]

You can make like your reg pesto and add roasted red bell peppers. You can use pesto in baked breads, pasta, soups etc. DH actually likes it adding parmessan (I don't add cheese when I am freezing pesto)and a bit more oil then he spreads it on baguette slices.

[Julia1Pin]

I copied this out of a thread a while ago. I acutally even made it ;) It's fantastic!!!!!!

oil-free pesto from moosewood

granted, pine nuts themselves have oil, but it's all good -- trust me for those who are dying to know, 1 ounce of this pesto has 13 cal, 0.7 g fat of which 0.1 g is saturated. but remember, most research now suggests that it's not the fat that knocks us down, but plain too many calories (ok, and those nasty trans fats in margarine, too, but i digress). in that sense, this stuff is a winner!.


"Susan's Pesto"

Ingredients

1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 T toasted pine nuts (toast in oven for 3-5 min @ 350 degrees, or until light brown)
1-2 clove(s) garlic
1/2 t salt

Puree all ingredients in food processor until smooth.

Seving ideas: serve as a spread on sandwiches ... or with pasta (say, with roasted eggplant) ... or on pizza ... or with grilled shrimp....

[ewatkins]

I usually use pesto on pasta and wanted to pass on a tip. Use some of the cooking water to thin out the pesto, just a tablespoon or so. My homemade version can be like peanut butter, but when I add the hot water, it thins into a nice sauce. Also makes the pesto go farther.

[Barb856]

Thanks EWatkins. I could have used that tip "before" dinner tonight. My pesto was a little pastey so I added a bit of olive oil but somehow it just didn't taste that great, a little too oily tasting even though I only added about a tsp. Anyways, I'll remember your tip for next time.