Roasted Red Pepper & Pesto Penne

I found this recipe a couple of years ago on Pinterest and it has become a favorite in my house. You can find the original recipe HERE. This pasta dish is so tasty and so easy to make! When I make this recipe, I typically double it and freeze half for a quick dinner later on. Here is how I do Roasted Red Pepper & Pesto Pasta:

Start by roasting 1 cup of red bell peppers. (*Note that I was doubling this recipe, so I used 4 peppers, but if you want a single recipe, you could roast 2 peppers) Roast the pepper by broiling them on high for about 30 minutes and flipping every 5 minutes. The skin of the peppers should begin to char but not the actual flesh of the pepper. Once the peppers are roasted, peel off the skins - it is sometimes easier to peel off the skins after letting the pepper sit in a paper bag for 15-20 minutes. Once the peppers are peeled and ready to use, set them aside until they are needed.

In a food processor, combine 1/3 cup of pine nuts, 3 cloves of garlic, 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of basil leaves, 1 cup of roasted red bell pepper, and salt & pepper to taste. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil. The picture above is from before I added in the red peppers, the sauce does get much less green.

Cook 1 pound of penne pasta. Once the penne is cooked, stir in the sauce and 1/4 cup of heavy cream and then you are good to go! How easy is that!? Enjoy!


ROASTED RED PEPPER & PESTO PENNE
ingredients
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves
1 cup fresh basil
1 cup roasted red bell peppers (approximately 2 peppers)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 lb penne pasta
1/4 cup heavy cream

directions
1. Roast the bell peppers by broiling them on high for 30 minutes and flipping them every 5 minutes. Peel the skin off the roasted peppers and set them aside.
2. Combine the pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, basil, roasted red peppers and salt & pepper in the food processor. Slowly add the oil to the food processor.
3. Cook penne pasta. Once the pasta is cooked stir in the sauce and heavy cream.

See you tomorrow with a delicious soup recipe!