I made this dish on a day when I had less than 30 minutes to throw something together for a community potluck. The date had completely slipped my mind and there wasn’t time to run to the grocery. After racking my brain on what to make, I stepped out on my porch and my former neighbor handed me a bundle of fresh basil leaves from her garden. I told her my dilemma and she suggested I make pesto, which I had never made before. She told me how she makes hers and shockingly, I had the ingredients on hand. I ran inside and tossed everything in my blender (I didn’t own a food processor) and after taste testing, I whimsically threw in a jar of sun-dried tomatoes that I had purchased months prior, but had never gotten around to using. To my surprise, it was tasty. I mixed the pesto with some pasta and rushed over to the potluck that had already begun. A bit worried about its reception, I placed it on the table and got into line. By the time I got to my dish, the entire bowl had been devoured (which means I didn’t even get to enjoy the fruits of my own labor). Since that time, I’ve made this dish several times for other potlucks and it’s always a hit. This is a perfect summer dish, and I enjoy it with salad and bread.
Serving Size: 5-6 bellies
2 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped with stems cut off
1 cup pine nuts
3 cloves fresh garlic
either ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil and 4 oz. sundried tomatoes -or- 1 8.5-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
½ cup freshly grated parmesan (optional )
16 oz. penne pasta
• Prepared the pasta according to package instructions, cooking al dente (firm)
• Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, oil and sundried tomatoes in food processor until well blended
• Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and add the pasta, toss well to coat evenly
• For added zest, mix in the grated parmesan
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Voila, FEED!
