Nutty Tomato Pesto
Dress up an omelet or spike a sauce with this easy recipe. Experiment with different nuts, try roasted peppers instead of tomatoes, or use arugula if basil is out of season.
Yield: 1 1/8 cups; 18 (1-tablespoon) servings
Ingredients:
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, without stems
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3/4 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
Preparation:
Place the basil, garlic, tomatoes, walnuts, salt if using, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor or in a blender jar. Pulse the motor until the walnuts are finely chopped. With the motor running add the oil in a stream. Pulse to blend. Stop and scrape the sides down two or three times to puree evenly. Add the cheese and process for 10 to 15 seconds. Do not over-process; the pesto should have some texture.
Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 1 week.
Adapted from Stop the Clock! Cooking© 2003 by Cheryl Forberg RD published by Avery an imprint of Penguin Group USA, Inc.
