Penne with Red Pepper Pesto (Pesto Calabrese)
By Steve DunnPublished on May 24, 2016
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Other short, tubular pastas can be used. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you want the dish.
Instructions
- Toss two-thirds of bell peppers with 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bell peppers are softened and just starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
- Add onion, tomato, basil, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon garlic and continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and bell peppers are browned in spots, 6 to 7 minutes longer. Remove skillet from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Place ricotta, Parmesan, remaining one-third of bell peppers, remaining ½ teaspoon garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl of food processor. Add cooked bell pepper mixture and process for 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. With processor running, add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; process for about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl, then continue to process until smooth, about 20 seconds longer.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add pesto and toss to combine, adjusting consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Pesto alla calabrese trades the familiar basil–pine nut base of the Genovese style for ricotta, Parmesan, and a combination of sweet and hot peppers. For complex flavor, we used cooked red bell peppers, sautéing them—first covered to soften and then uncovered to develop flavorful browning—and then adding one raw red bell pepper for fresh, fruity bite. For heat, we substituted hard-to-find Calabrian chiles with dried red pepper flakes. We also added fresh tomato, onion, garlic, and basil to the pepper mixture for further complexity. A modest amount of cheese—a 2:1 ratio of ricotta to Parmesan—added richness, salty tang, and creamy body without dulling the vegetables’ flavor.
Before You Begin
Other short, tubular pastas can be used. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you want the dish.
Instructions
- Toss two-thirds of bell peppers with 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bell peppers are softened and just starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
- Add onion, tomato, basil, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon garlic and continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and bell peppers are browned in spots, 6 to 7 minutes longer. Remove skillet from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Place ricotta, Parmesan, remaining one-third of bell peppers, remaining ½ teaspoon garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl of food processor. Add cooked bell pepper mixture and process for 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. With processor running, add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; process for about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl, then continue to process until smooth, about 20 seconds longer.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add pesto and toss to combine, adjusting consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.
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