Makes about 2 cups
This slightly thinner version of my scrumptious sun dried tomato and artichoke pesto recipe has more tomato flavor and fewer calories. It also gives you about another half cup of pesto.
Enjoy it in the original pasta recipe with lots of cherry tomatoes and fresh basil (instructions below), or simply toss it with pasta and sprinkle with cheese, or just let yourself at it with a spoon like I usually do. I'm sure you could use it in all sorts of other ways, too.
You can quickly mix up this pesto while the pasta water boils, or make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. It tastes even better the next day. For a saucier sauce, simply keep adding more fresh tomatoes until it's the consistency you like. You can also thin it out with a little pasta water.
Enjoy it in the original pasta recipe with lots of cherry tomatoes and fresh basil (instructions below), or simply toss it with pasta and sprinkle with cheese, or just let yourself at it with a spoon like I usually do. I'm sure you could use it in all sorts of other ways, too.
You can quickly mix up this pesto while the pasta water boils, or make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. It tastes even better the next day. For a saucier sauce, simply keep adding more fresh tomatoes until it's the consistency you like. You can also thin it out with a little pasta water.
If you don't have oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, you can substitute sun dried tomatoes that have been rehydrated in a little hot water, though you might need to add an extra Tablespoon or two of olive oil to the pesto.
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (packed in water), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes (or rehydrated dried)
1/2 cup (1 ounce) finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 small clove garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or more if desired)
8 ounces fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks (about 1¼ cups), or more if desired
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Combine the artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, Pecorino Romano, and chopped garlic in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until either smooth or still somewhat chunky, whichever you prefer. I like it best smooth, but it's also nice to have some of the sun dried tomato pieces left.
With the machine running, drizzle in the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, adding more if desired. Add the fresh tomatoes and process until it's the consistency you like. Salt to taste. This pesto will keep in a covered dish in the fridge for several days.
Summer Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, and Tomato Artichoke Pesto
The key word here is unmoderation. Apply my More, More, More philosophy with gusto when you make this, because you really can't have too much of anything here—unless of course you devour it all yourself.
Linguine, Fettuccine, or Farfalle (bowtie) pasta, cooked according to package
1 cup reserved pasta water
Sun Dried and Fresh Tomato Artichoke Pesto (recipe above)
LOTS of cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
LOTS of fresh basil, chopped into thin strips (chiffonade)
Plenty of freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper
Place the hot drained pasta in a large bowl. Stir some of the reserved pasta water into the pesto to thin it out, and then toss the pesto with the pasta, along with some of the fresh basil.
At this point you can either toss the pasta with lots of cherry tomatoes and more basil, or portion it out and then top each serving with the cherry tomatoes and basil. Either way, be sure to sprinkle plenty of freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan on top and pass the pepper grinder.
Recipe source: FarmgirlFare.com
Recipe © FarmgirlFare.com
