Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
The word "Pesto" comes from the Genoese word "pestâ", which means to pound or crush. Pesto is traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese. However, there are a million types and varieties of "pesto", seeing as the root of the word is a verb and not a noun. It's not really locked into any "one" ingredient. That said, most pestos I've seen tend to be some kind of ingredient, blended with nuts, cheese and oil.
Following that general pattern, you can take something like parsley and blend it with asiago and walnuts. This gives you ... Parsley pesto! I've seen all kinds, from olive pestos, to artichoke pestos, spicy arugula, chilies, etc. This one is for sun-dried tomatoes. It's phenomenally delicious and a little goes a long way.
It's also something I often see as a "base". I will often throw some fresh basil into it, when I'm using it for something. Tossing it with some cream makes AN AMAZING sun-dried tomato pesto cream. Adding a little oil to it, thinning it out a bit is wonderful for things like baked zucchini fries. It would be divine in a wrap, a crepe or tossed with zoodles!
It's quick and easy to make, versatile, lasts for a really long time and it's totally sweet, with a little chew and a touch of acid, otherwise known as ... yum.
Following that general pattern, you can take something like parsley and blend it with asiago and walnuts. This gives you ... Parsley pesto! I've seen all kinds, from olive pestos, to artichoke pestos, spicy arugula, chilies, etc. This one is for sun-dried tomatoes. It's phenomenally delicious and a little goes a long way.
It's also something I often see as a "base". I will often throw some fresh basil into it, when I'm using it for something. Tossing it with some cream makes AN AMAZING sun-dried tomato pesto cream. Adding a little oil to it, thinning it out a bit is wonderful for things like baked zucchini fries. It would be divine in a wrap, a crepe or tossed with zoodles!
It's quick and easy to make, versatile, lasts for a really long time and it's totally sweet, with a little chew and a touch of acid, otherwise known as ... yum.
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 246.0775kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil oil drained off
- 4 each garlic cloves minced
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
- 1/2 cup parmesan (reggiano) cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Before adding your sun-dried tomatoes to your food processor, if they're not in oil or from a jar, make sure they are somewhat softened. Adding little rocks to your food processor might break it. If you've got nice plumb and soft tomatoes, great! If you've just dried them yourself, this is probably fine, as well. Also, sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil will work quite nicely. However, if they've been sitting in your pantry, or hanging out in a bulk bin, they might have become quite solid. If this is the case, put them in a bowl and pour a little hot water over them, then wrap the bowl in plastic wrap. This will slightly steam and soften them up a bit. Let them sit for about 5 minutes and then pour off any excess water.
- All ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times. Continue pulsing until it's the consistency you like. You can make it a smooth paste, or a rustic and chunky pesto, it's completely up to you. Taste it, adjust seasoning, give it another pulse or two, then package or serve!
Nutrition
Serving: 8g | Calories: 246.0775kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.6725g | Protein: 3.6875g | Fat: 24.5625g | Fiber: 0.91125g