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Romesco Pesto

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 17, 2011

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 lb of pasta)

Romesco Pesto

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled¼ cup slivered almonds 2 cups fresh parsley leaves 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse2 teaspoons red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon table salt

Before You Begin

Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the parsley leaves before processing them (as oil and water don't mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it's also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.

Instructions

  1. Toast garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and skins are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add almonds and continue to cook until garlic is spotty brown and nuts are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, peel garlic.
  2. Process garlic, nuts, parsley, oil, Parmesan, roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Pesto can be covered with 1 tablespoon oil and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Romesco Pesto

Romesco Pesto

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 lb of pasta)

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon table salt

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon table salt

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon table salt

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Harsh garlic can easily tip pesto’s delicate balance. We temper the burn by toasting the garlic cloves, skin on, until spotty brown. And to boost the flavor of mild almonds, we flashed them in the skillet to toast as well.

Before You Begin

Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the parsley leaves before processing them (as oil and water don't mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it's also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.

Instructions

  1. Toast garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and skins are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add almonds and continue to cook until garlic is spotty brown and nuts are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, peel garlic.
  2. Process garlic, nuts, parsley, oil, Parmesan, roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Pesto can be covered with 1 tablespoon oil and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

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