ROASTED TOMATO BASIL PESTO

Hi all its been loooooooooooooong time since I visited any of your blogs and updated mine too. But thanks for those who visited my blog and enquiring my absence. Yah its because of place change, weather change, holiday season, I've been so tied up with other things and off course I should blame my little laziness too. Mmmmm at last started from now...I really missed all your beautiful posts for last few weeks. Hope to catch up soon. One recent change in my blog photos will be lack natural day light which is very important for the Food photography. Because of this Minneapolis weather. Also its getting dark earlier and days are very very cold. But anyway I am trying to find out some ways to compensate this.

So after all the above stories here comes the recipe part.. Tomato Basil pesto which is so tasty that you can use for pasta as well as works for sandwich spread too.

Ingredients :

Cherry tomato - 2 cups (Broil it till the skin is lightly blackened)

Walnut - 1/4 cup toasted

Basil - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 1 pod

Lemon juice - 1/4 tsp ( optional)

Paprika - according to your spice level

Pepper - 1 tsp

Olive oil - for roasting the tomato

Salt - as needed

Few basil for garnish

Parmesan cheese for topping

I used Sauteed Mushroom and Broccoli to go along with pasta.

For Pasta :

I used whole wheat Thin spaghetti, its your choice.

Method :

1. Toss the tomato with little olive oil, pepper and salt and broil it.

2. Now in the blender add the tomato along with olive oil and the juice that comes out while broiling.

2. With that add the walnut, basil, salt, Garlic,pepper, paprika, lemon juice. Blend till its coarsely done.

3. Cook pasta with salt. Drain it.

4. If the the pesto is very thick add little water from the pasta and dilute for sauce consistency.

5. Now in the serving plate arrange the pasta add the pesto on the top and garnish with cheese and Basil.

6.Serve with sauteed veggies.

Note :

I sauteed Broccoli and Mushroom with little olive oil, pepper and salt.

You can store this pesto for 3 to 4 days.