Roasted Tomato Pesto
Pesto ain’t just about green stuff anymore. The deep roasted flavors in the tomatoes bring out a depth that is spectacular. And feel free to make extra tomatoes and use them for other purposes, like serving on sandwiches, or plating with antipasti. So good, and so simple, it will become a staple in your refrigerator.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2cups | 1hour |
| Cook Time |
| 45minutes |
|
|
Ingredients
- 8 medium vine ripe tomatoes, sliced into wedges
- 1cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/2cup almonds, toasted
- 1/3cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1/2tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Drizzle liberally with olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper. Roast in oven for 35-45 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to char. Remove and cool completely.
- Toast almonds on baking sheet in single layer in same 400 degree oven for 3-6 minutes, or until they begin to toast and become fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Process almonds in food processor until pulverized to BB-sized pieces.
- Add peeled garlic cloves to processed almonds. Pulse until garlic is minced and incorporated with almond pieces.
- Add basil leaves to processor
- Process until a fine mixture results.
- Add roasted tomatoes, as well as any juices from tomatoes (there’s a lot of flavor in those roasting juices!).
- With food processor running, drizzle olive oil into mixture.
- Add remaining salt & pepper to mixture, and pulse to incorporate fully into pesto.
- Pesto should be thick but smooth consistency. Refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Heading to a summer gathering? Need a quick appetizer to share? Mix 2 tablespoons of tomato pesto into 1 cup of ricotta cheese. Spread onto crostini or other bread for a delicious treat.
As an alternative, spread tomato pesto mixture onto 1/2 of a toasted baguette. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and broil in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Now you’ve got a fancy version of garlic bread to serve with dinner!
So many possibilities, so little tomato pesto, which is why you should definitely make a double batch of this great twist on a classic!