My son Ted, who is eight, loves garlic and he really likes pasta too. Normally I make pesto for an evening meal or as part of a pizza topping. Ted loves the pesto in pizza. As a mum this pleases me. Ted is not normally the biggest fan of anything green in the food world. Therefore I’m always trying to find new ways to hid the greens. Shh, don’t tell Ted!!!
In the past I have made a roasted red pepper and tomato pesto which Ted also really enjoys. For this recipe I decided to add roasted garlic instead of red peppers. Garlic is a herb that is related to the onion, leek and chives. It is often prescribed for the heart or the circulation system. Garlic has a very strong smell and taste so it does pack a punch in this dish. It was one meal we all enjoyed and we will certainly be eating it again.
Serves 4
- Equipment needed
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Baking tray
- Measuring Jug
- Food processor
Ingredients
- Garlic x 6 – 10 cloves
- On the vine tomatoes x 200g
- Basil x 1 large handful
- Olive oil x 80mls plus extra for drizzling
- Cashew nuts or pine nuts x 100g
- Garlic x 3 – 4 cloves
- Parmesan cheese x 60g (optional)
- Salt x 1 – 2 pinches for tomatoes and garlic
- Pepper to your taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200º and put the baking tray in at the same time.
- Once the oven is preheated take the baking tray out and add the on the vine tomatoes and garlic with the skin on.
- Then drizzle over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst with juice.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- Once the vegetables have cooled remove the skin from the garlic and the vines from the tomatoes.
- When the tomatoes have cooled, add them to the food processor along with the basil, olive oil, cashew nuts, garlic and a little more salt and pepper.
- Blend for a good five minutes and serve with a cooked pasta of your choice!
Roasted Garlic and Tomato Pesto and Pasta was a hit in our house. Ted even had this pesto in his pizza for lunch the next day. It was a very easy dish to prepare and cook. I really enjoyed making this dinner for my family. Plus if you wanted to make this a meat eater dinner you could always add chicken or pork to the meal. The pesto is also freezable so you could make a big batch and freeze it for another occasion. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx
Googies Kitchen Life 