Most people associate “pesto” with basil pesto, also known as pesto Genovese, a mixture of basil, Parmiggiano-Reggiano, garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil. The term “pesto” just means “smashed” or “beaten,” and can refer to any sauce made from pureed ingredients in an emulsion with oil. On my last trip to Italy nine years ago, my wife had pasta with olive pesto in a little restaurant in Assisi, and liked it so much that we went back the next night so she could have it again. My personal favorite non-basil pesto is one with roasted red peppers.
This is ridiculously easy to make if you just want to use jarred roasted red peppers, although roasting your own is easy – do it on a grill or in a 400 degree oven until the skin of the pepper is charred (not burned to ash), then let it rest in a bowl with foil covering it for ten minutes, then peel the skin off. To use them for this recipe, make sure the peppers have no seeds or rib meat remaining.
1 roasted red pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped
3 Tbsp pecorino romano cheese, grated
3-4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
pinch salt, pepper, crushed dried chili pepper (optional)
Puree the first three ingredients, then gradually add the olive oil while continuing to puree to form an emulsion. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper as desired. Serve over pasta (with grilled chicken, if you like) or use in place of tomato sauce on pizza.
As seen on TV million times, I put my peppers directly on the fire, and then put in the paper bag for a while so that its own steam peel off the skin.
I make all sorts of pesto all the time because I love it so much. I use the olive and sun dried tomato pestos most often as spreads, but also as pizza sauces and occasionally pasta sauces. Generally I limit the use of genovese to only pasta, since basil no-likey heat. The way you describe it is basically the way I make all pestos except genovese, though I had a teaspoon of lemon juice for a little more tartness. As for genovese, though I no this is not “authentic”, I cut the oil down to 1 Tbsp and do 2 Tbsps of melted butter instead. I find it makes for a richer sauce. I also mix about 100 ml of the starched pasta water into the pesto just before I pour the whole thing on, which again gives the sauce more body. I like it this way especially as a sauce (as opposed to a spread) because it really covers the pasta then.
Pepper is roasted whole? Then cut and cleaned out? Or slice and de-seed first and then roast?
Roasted whole to get the skin off, then you can slice it open and pull out the ribs and seeds. It’s a lot easier to roast them whole, and you can do a whole lot at once that way.
Thanks Keith. I’ve been making my own basil pesto and while I enjoy it, I’ve been wanting to try something new.
Sorry, OT…
Chat today? I guess not if it’s 1:38p.
Ah! It’s Wednesday today.
Carry on…
I do something similar for a pasta sauce. I use the exact same ingredients (different quantities) plus half a can of tomato puree. Then I put the immersion blender to them. You get a roasted red pepper tomato sauce that is awesome on penne.
I’ve read that a mortar and pestle is the only TRUE way to make pesto (at least the basil variety). I’ve also heard this is a crock invented by “Italian” chefs who’ve never crossed the Atlantic? Is there an appreciable difference between using the “traditional” method and using a food processor? Is it a matter of personal taste and reaction to the texture, or is there a scientific (Alton Brown) rationale behind one or the other?