Slow-Roasted Tomato Pesto
A plain slow-roasted tomato is hard to beat, but should you want to take yours a step further, try this riff on pesto.
1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and trimmed
2 cups (500 mL) packed basil leaves
3 cups (750 mL) slow-roasted tomatoes (about 36 halves)
1/2 cup (125 mL) tightly packed finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
This pesto makes a great spread for a sandwich, especially when there is goat cheese or fresh mozzarella involved. It's also good as a condiment for pan-fried polenta. And like the slow-roasted tomatoes themselves, you can use it as a sauce for pasta. Just thin it with a splash of olive oil and some water from the pasta pot, and it's ready.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the basil leaves and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the tomatoes and process well. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this pesto will keep for up to a week.
Excerpted from A Homemade Life, copyright 2009 by Molly Wizenberg, courtesy Simon & Schuster
