I'm on the slippery slope to 40 and I'm working my way to being as healthy as possible in mind, body and soul. I have an awesome husband and three fluffy kitties. I love to run, cook and help others, but I'm always looking for more ways to improve my life and the lives around me. I also have a weird sense of humor, so be warned.Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto Recipe
If you recall, last week I tempted you with this picture:
Now I wish I would’ve taken photos as I made this recipe, but I’m still a n00b at this whole “food blogging” thing, so I forgot. However, my inspiration recipe is from Angela over at Oh She Glows, and she takes AMAZING step-by-step photos, so I don’t feel bad that I dropped the ball on this one.
I modified the ingredients, as I’m wont to do, because I didn’t care if it was vegan or not. Also, I reduced the quantity of the almonds (as I didn’t want extra to put in the pasta) and estimated the amount of tomatoes to use. I just wanted to use them all up before I went on vacation!
A fantastic tomato basil pesto designed to use up that garden produce and herbs that are so abundant this time of year! I made a double batch, ate some that night for supper, and froze the rest for eating this fall and winter.
Adapted from Oh She Glows
Ingredients
- 9 large roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise (or equivalent of 1.5-2 cups)
- 1/3 cup unsalted raw almonds, toasted
- 2 garlic cloves (or equivalent of pre-chopped garlic)
- 1 cup tightly packed basil
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling on tomatoes before roasting)
- 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. Place sliced tomatoes on the sheet cut side up and drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour and 10 mins at 400F. I checked the last 10 minutes to make sure they didn't burn.
- Reduce oven heat to 325F and toast almonds for 8-10 minutes. You can also toast the almonds in a non-stick pan (do NOT add any oil) until they're toasted.
- Add 2 garlic cloves to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. If you're using pre-chopped garlic, skip this step.
- Add the basil and almonds (and the pre-chopped garlic, if using) into food processor and process until finely chopped. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add in the oil, cheese, and the roasted tomatoes. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
If you can stand not eating it all with a spoon out of the processor bowl (ahem), serve over your favorite pasta. I had the first batch with penne, chicken and broccoli. It was SO GOOD! I can envision a pizza using this pesto as a base instead of a tomato sauce.
Well, I know what I’m making this weekend!
