Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosso | Red Pesto)

Step 1

If you aren't using canned peppers or pre-roasted peppers, you’ll need to roast the red peppers. To do so:Slice the peppers In half, removing the seeds and ribs. Then place cut-side down on a baking tray, drizzle with a little oil, and roast for around 25 minutes at 325ºF/170ºC (or until tender and lightly blackened on the skin).

Step 2

Allow the peppers to steam and cool for 10 minutes in a jar/covered bowl before carefully peeling the skin away. Once peeled, allow the roasted peppers to cool.

Step 3

Transfer all the red pesto ingredients to either a food processor or mortar and pestle and grind/blend the pesto into your desired consistency (chunky, smooth, or anything in between).

Step 4

Make ahead: you can roast the red peppers several (2-days in advance and store, peeled in a container in the fridge. You could also pre-prepare the sun-dried tomatoes in advance.Store: store any leftover tomato pesto sauce/paste in an airtight container (I use a jar) in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. The olive oil will solidify when chilled, but it will still be scoopable. It can quickly be brought back to room temperature before using (or add straight to any recipe where it’ll be coked like sun-dried tomato pesto pasta.Freeze: you can freeze this pesto with tomatoes in a large freezer-safe container. However, I prefer to portion it into 1 Tbsp portions in an ice-cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the pesto cubes to a Ziplock bag and store for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge or on the counter as needed.