Cook Once, Eat Twice: Pesto Rosso

Pesto is the perfect summer dish.  It’s quick, easy and doesn’t involve turning on the stove.  The name comes from the Italian word pestare, meaning to pound or crush, as traditionally it was made by crushing the ingredients together in a mortar and pestle. When most of us hear the word pesto, we think of pesto genovese, a traditional green pesto from Genoa, Italy made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano.  But there are actually several different types of pesto originating from different regions of Italy, each taking advantage of local ingredients.

Pesto rosso, or red pesto, uses tomatoes along with heart healthy almonds (click here to read all about the health benefits of almonds and other nuts).  Some varieties use sundried tomatoes.  Another variety from Sicily, pesto trapanese, uses fresh cherry tomatoes.  I decided to make my own pesto rosso using a combination of sundried tomatoes and fresh cherry tomatoes.  I like the combination of  sweetness from the sundried tomatoes with the fresh, bright flavor of the cherry tomatoes. Plus, when making traditional pesto, you often have to use a lot of olive oil to get it to the right consistency, which adds a lot of calories and fat.  By adding some fresh tomatoes, it makes the pesto a little looser and adds volume, thereby cutting down the amount of oil needed.

This recipe is extremely easy- simply place all of the ingredients in a food processor in stages and pulse until it’s all combined.  No cooking needed!  I don’t like my pesto pureed into a smooth, homogenous mixture.  I keep it slightly chunky- not only do I prefer the texture but I also like to see the flecks of the individual ingredients.

Pesto rosso is a really versatile spread and it fits into my philosophy of Cook Once, Eat Twice.  Once you make a batch, you can store it in the fridge and use it in so many different ways over the course of the week.   For a classic preparation, mix the pesto with a little pasta water and toss it with hot pasta.  Top it with some grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and you have a delicious dinner in under thirty minutes.  Here are some other ways you can use it:

• Spread it on hot or cold sandwiches- anything from turkey sandwiches to grilled cheese
• Top grilled chicken breasts, fish or other meats with it
• Mix it with a little ricotta or goat cheese and use it as a stuffing for chicken breasts or pork chops
• Add flavor to vegetarian or egg dishes- try stirring a spoonful into sautéed vegetables or a frittata
• Mix it with Greek yogurt to make a healthy dip for vegetables or chips
• Spread it on garlic bread for an extra hit of flavor
• Use it onto homemade pizza dough as an alternative to tomato sauce
• Spread it on toasted country bread and top it off with some arugula and shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano for a healthy snack

CLICK HERE to get the recipe for my Farfalle with Pesto Rosso, Eggplant and Ricotta Salata, which uses this delicious Pesto Rosso.