Debs Red Pepper Pesto Recipes

RED PEPPER-BASIL PESTO PIZZA

Steps:

• For the pesto: Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put the peppers on a baking sheet, rub them with the canola oil and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Roast until they are slightly charred and soft, turning several times, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them steam for 10 minutes. Remove the skins and seeds.
• Put the peppers, garlic, basil and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and pulse to emulsify. Add the cheese and salt and pepper, to taste and pulse a few more times just to combine. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.
• For the pizza: Light a grill to high heat.
• Roll the pizza dough into 2 (12-inch) circles, brush the top with some canola oil, and season them with salt and black pepper, to taste. Put them on the grill, oiled side down, and grill until the bottoms are slightly charred and golden brown. Brush the tops with additional oil before flipping the pizzas over. Continue grilling until the crusts are just firm, about 40 seconds.
• Transfer the shells to a baking sheet, top each with some of the pesto, mozzarella and shaved Parmigiano and return them to the grill. Close the cover and grill until the cheese melts. Remove the pizzas from the grill and finish the pizza with some sliced red onion and handful of arugula. Slice and serve.
• Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.
• Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

RED PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• Place peppers directly over the trivet of a gas-stove burner over high heat, or on a grill. Just as each section turns puffy and black, turn pepper with tongs to prevent overcooking. (If you don't have a gas stove, place peppers on a baking pan, and broil in the oven, turning as each side becomes charred.) Transfer peppers to a large bowl, and cover immediately with plastic wrap. Let peppers sweat until they are cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes; then transfer to a work surface. Peel off the blackened skin and discard.
• Coarsely chop peppers and transfer to a food processor. Add pine nuts. With machine running, add olive oil in a steady stream. Continue processing, scraping down the sides as needed until pureed. Season with salt and pepper.

DEB'S RED PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Place basil in a food processor.
• Coat the bottom of a skillet with about 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat over medium; cook and stir garlic until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cooked garlic to basil.
• Heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat; add pine nuts and cook until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add toasted pine nuts and roasted red bell pepper to basil mixture.
• Process basil mixture until evenly combined and chunky.
• Mix lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into red bell pepper mixture; process, adding the 3 tablespoons olive oil a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add corn and process just until mixed.

DEB'S RED PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Place basil in a food processor.
• Coat the bottom of a skillet with about 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat over medium; cook and stir garlic until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cooked garlic to basil.
• Heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat; add pine nuts and cook until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add toasted pine nuts and roasted red bell pepper to basil mixture.
• Process basil mixture until evenly combined and chunky.
• Mix lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into red bell pepper mixture; process, adding the 3 tablespoons olive oil a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add corn and process just until mixed.

ROASTED RED PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Toast the garlic in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the color of the cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes.
• Transfer the garlic to a plate to cool, then peel the cloves and mince.
• Process the garlic, peppers, parmesan, ricotta, shallot, parsley, thyme, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with your choice of al-dente pasta!