Foodie Friday - Not Your Mama's Red Sauce!

My husband prefers his pasta with home made marinara sauce, and he'd gladly eat it at least once a week. While I like the traditional tomato based sauce, I also like to change things up a bit. Not long ago, I finally found an alternate pasta recipe that makes us both happy. Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, is a simple recipe that nets gourmet results. Quick and easy to prepare, it makes a perfect dinner on a busy weeknight, yet it's also elegant enough for weekend guests. The ingredients are things that I usually keep on hand. Tonight I was a bit rushed, and forgot to included a jar of roasted red peppers and basil in the picture. (Truth be told, I left the basil out of this shot intentionally. When I buy fresh basil, whatever doesn't get used immediately goes into the freezer. Frozen basil tastes closer to fresh than dried, and it's an acceptable substitute, but is not very photogenic! I can't wait until the pots of fresh herbs are back on my deck!) I have made changes to the original recipe. We like it best this way!

Pasta With Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

8 ounces pasta

1 cup frozen peas

Sauce:

1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes - drained (NB: We've discovered smoked sun dried tomatoes in a resealable zip lock pouch. Make sure they say 'moist and ready to eat', otherwise you will have to soak them in water. They add a very distinctive touch to this recipe!)

1 cup roasted peppers, drained

1/3 cup good quality olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions, except add peas to pasta cooking water for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water before draining peas and pasta. Return peas and pasta to pot.

While pasta is cooking, make sauce. Combine sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, drained peppers, and salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until almost smooth. Add 1/4 cup cheese and process until well mixed.

Add reserved cooking water, sauce, and 1/4 cup snipped basil to pasta & peas in pot. Toss gently. Serve with additional grated cheese.

In no time flat, this will be on your table, your taste buds will be very grateful, and you may feel like doing the mambo!

Now it's probably psychological, but my husband and I think that pasta tastes best in these bowls...
Maybe it's because they were a gift from a close friend, or maybe it's just that they're so whimsical that you're happy even before you start eating!

I did have a dickens of a time trying to photograph these dishes. They're so heavily glazed, that light reflects off of them in alarming amounts. In the picture above, you can see the recessed, pendant, and under cabinet lights from the kitchen reflected on the rim and the interior of the bowl.

In the picture below, you can see the lights plus the last bit of daylight coming through the windows from 3 different rooms. It took at least two dozen shots to get these two pictures!

To continue on your culinary journey, please visit the other bloggers participating in Foodie Friday. Our hostess, Michael Lee, at Designs By Gollum has Mr. Linky ready to guide you.

Buono Apetito!