Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta Salad
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 18, 2008
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli or campanelleSalt ¼ cup ricotta cheese 1 ¼ cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped½ cup slivered almonds, toasted¼ cup grated Asiago cheese ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Before You Begin
Divina is the test kitchen’s top-rated brand of jarred roasted red peppers. Discard any pepper seeds before chopping.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook until just past al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta in colander, rinse with cold water until cool, drain once more, and transfer to large bowl.
- Puree ricotta and 2 tablespoons hot pasta water in food processor until smooth. Add 3/4 cup roasted peppers, 1/4 cup almonds, Asiago, oil, garlic, parsley, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Stir pesto into pasta until well coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency. Fold in remaining roasted peppers and almonds. Season with salt. Serve.
- Make-Ahead: This salad can be refrigerated for 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving and thin salads with a few tablespoons of warm water if needed.
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli or campanelle
Salt
¼ cup ricotta cheese
1 ¼ cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup grated Asiago cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli or campanelle
Salt
¼ cup ricotta cheese
1 ¼ cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup grated Asiago cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli or campanelle
Salt
¼ cup ricotta cheese
1 ¼ cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup grated Asiago cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We found that raw vegetables yielded a particularly bland pesto salad. Garlic and olive oil were musts in this pesto, along with almonds, Asiago cheese, and parsley. Pureed ricotta cheese lent a mild flavor and a silky creaminess that unified the other ingredients.
Before You Begin
Divina is the test kitchen’s top-rated brand of jarred roasted red peppers. Discard any pepper seeds before chopping.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook until just past al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta in colander, rinse with cold water until cool, drain once more, and transfer to large bowl.
- Puree ricotta and 2 tablespoons hot pasta water in food processor until smooth. Add 3/4 cup roasted peppers, 1/4 cup almonds, Asiago, oil, garlic, parsley, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Stir pesto into pasta until well coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency. Fold in remaining roasted peppers and almonds. Season with salt. Serve.
- Make-Ahead: This salad can be refrigerated for 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving and thin salads with a few tablespoons of warm water if needed.
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