Chilli Tomato Pesto

Name: Chilli Tomato Pesto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 large red bell pepper; 1 mild red chili pepper; 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted; 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce; 1 garlic clove, peeled; 50 g fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped; 8 pieces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped; 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste; 6 -12 tablespoons olive oil; 1 -2 ounce pecorino romano cheese or 1 -2 ounce fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Submitted by SugaredAlmond

"Probably not entirely authentic, but it tastes fabulous! I'm a bit of a Luddite and enjoy making this with a pestle and mortar, but do use a food processor if that's more your bag."

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Ready In:: 20mins
Ingredients:: 11
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

1 large red bell pepper
1 mild red chili pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped
¹⁄₄ - ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 garlic clove, peeled
50 g fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
8 pieces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
6 -12 tablespoons olive oil
1 -2 ounce pecorino romano cheese or 1 -2 ounce fresh parmesan cheese, grated

directions

Grill both the chilli and red pepper under a very hot grilluntil the skin blackens and blisters. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Peel the chilli and pepper and remove the seeds. Roughly chop.
With a large pestle and mortar crush the garlic together with the toasted pine nuts.
One at a time, add the red pepper, chilli, basil, sundried tomato and tomato paste, squashing together until everything is roughly blended.
Stir in the grated Pecorino or Parmesan.
Stir in the oil, stirring until everything has become a paste, but still retains a little of it's own identity.
Add tabasco to taste.

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Reviews

Fabulous indeed! I used my trusty food processor to make this, and was having One of Those Days in the kitchen. First, I realized while already blending things that I'd, in fact, run out of sun-dried tomato paste! In order to make up for it (even if just a bit), I used a few more sun-dried tomatoes and the oil from the jar instead of regular olive oil. Then, after I'd seasoned the paste with Tabasco and tasted it (and gone "oooh, yummmm!"), my eyes wandered over to the counter and saw the chopped tomatoes I'd forgotten to throw in!! So, I blended them in last and added a touch more Tabasco. Served with pasta for lunch and will try this on brushcetta tonight too. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing!

stormylee