As you all know the majority of the Munster team eat in La Cucina(we’re the back bone of that team I tell you), pasta is a major part of their diet so our menu suits them perfectly. The main pasta dish they have been eating lately is penne with green pesto and chicken(protein is very important I’m told) so I made red pesto for them last week for a change as they were starting to get bored with the basil pesto. I’ve never had red pesto before and boy have I been missing out, it is so good! I made it for all the staff and they nearly licked the plates clean, Sejla our Italian deli assistant is amazed that I’m able to cook Italian food so well being Irish. Cooking for an Italian is very rewarding as there is always an in depth conversation about the food while eating it, appreciating and identifying every flavour and ingredient, always telling a story about when their mama made the same dish, yours will never be as good by the way but hey that’s ok, you’re just happy they like it! The Munster lads liked it too which is the main thing, now if only I could get them to say that on the t.v 
what you need(serves 4):
500g spaghetti or linguine
140g sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
couple of basil leaves
drizzle balsamic vinegar(optional) – about 2 tsp
what to do:
place tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, chilli and oil in a blender and pulse to a smooth paste.
add vinegar and season to taste.
cook your pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, drain reserving some of the pasta water.
return pasta with the pesto to the pasta pot and toss well to coat. Add reserved cooking water if required(I did)
serve with parmesan cheese and some rocket on top if you like. Can I get a woo hoo for my rocket freshly picked from the garden:)
my god your photography is as awesome as your food……
I agree, what fab photos! I’m so excited about this post. I’m a huge pesto fan and have tried so many different types lately – basil, rocket, red pepper, sun dried tomato, the list goes on but now I actually get to make my own. Hubby will be so happy, add chicken to this {of course:)} and I’ll be the worlds best wife!
a definate woo hoo when it comes from your garden. red pesto looks good. will give this one a try. Did you princess eat it. My kids are very hit and miss when it comes to new things.
lors,
that looks fantastic. on the subject of of pesto, do you know if the italians eat “shop-bought” pesto, or is it completely frowned upon?
DIVINE!!!!
Gorgeous pictures! I can’t wait to try that pasta – it looks amazing.
manuel – ah you are just too sweet, you can visit my blog any time you like and leave lovely comments like that every time:)Makes a girl feel loved!
Kats – I still get a shock everytime you say hubby and wife, my little sis is married!!!! Enjoy:)
Jodie – I never tried her with it as it had a little chilli in it so I was afraid it would be too hot for her. She LOVES green pesto with spaghetti and parmesan even though she hated it the first couple of times but I kept trying her and now it’s her favourite along with tomato sauce. They’re a nightmare these little ones, they def rule the roost:)
Conor – I know convenience food has become more popular in Italy and the younger generation probably would but the older generation NEVER would! I know the cousins wouldn’t as the uncle in Genoa grows his own basil in the garden and they make the most fantastic pesto http://italianfoodies.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/zio-brunos-garden/ They then send it down to the cousins in the south, tis mad but I love it:)
Elizabeth – thanks, do try it and let me know how you get on:)
Rach – exactly:)
the photography on this is out of this world. Way to go on the presentation.
Gorgeous. I must try this red pesto. Ciao
I’d happily tuck into a bowl of that pasta right now, it looks superb.
Very nice photo shooting, and excellent presenation. Heck .. even the post is amusing .. Lors, you’re definitely one of my favorite bloggers.
I love red pesto. I use it in a buffet – a red pesto and a green one. My recipe is pretty similar to your – but you ahve the wonderful photos! Gorgeous!
Woo hoo! That looks lovely, I’m definitely gonna try this out. Thanks Lorraine!
Thanks.This helped me wth homework.
Red pesto…I love it. I’ll be trying this soon.
I had this for dinner last night it was so good I’m thinking about having it again, and so easy to make. Thanks for introducing me to red pesto:)
osb – thank you so much for your nice comment:)
thanks Laura:)
KG – me too, starving now…
Lars – you always say the nicest things, you’re comments are my favourite:)
thanks Claudia and welcome, I must pop over to yours:)
peter – this is esp good after having a new baby;)
fh – it’s delicious, let me know how you get on..
claire – welcome, glad you liked it, it’s nearly too easy to taste sooooo good:)
Well I finally tried this tonight. Absolutely fantastic! I think the splash of balsamic makes it. I embarrassed myself in front of the missus; she caught me running a piece of foccaccia bread around the saucepan after dinner was finished. I expect I’ll be making this again sooner rather than later.
Conor glad you liked it, I’m doing it in the shop now too and it’s very popular. I have had to ruin it though and add a little cream as it doesn’t carry well for takeaway. In Italy the cleaning of the plate with bread is called “scarpetta” and very much approved of, always done in this house, the plates are so clean they don’t even need to go in the dishwasher:)
I like the sound of the cream, nice for a change. I also thought of mixing some of this pesto with mascarpone and stuffing some chicken breasts then wrapping with proscuitto. I’ll give it a shot a some stage, no doubt a post on my blog will follow.
Keep up the good work Lorraine, loving your recipes.
Conor.
That sounds really good, I think it would be lovely. Do it and post it!!:)
Hi Lorraine, been making this a LOT lately and I used it with some mascarpone this evening. Triumphant!
The blog post, as promised:
http://www.toastedspecial.com/2009/07/10/tagliatelle-with-sun-dried-tomato-pesto-mascarpone/
Cheers,
Conor.
What would you think of adding blue cheese to this? would it be too heavy?
ya I think so it would over power the dish, it’s tasty enough as is:)