ROASTED RED PEPPER PESTO


MAKES about 1½ cups, enough to sauce 1 pound of pasta

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes

The pesto can be covered with a sheet of plastic wrap or a thin film of oil and refrigerated for up to three days. See the photo that follows the recipe.

3

garlic cloves, unpeeled

cups jarred roasted red bell peppers, patted dry

½

cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼

cup packed fresh parsley leaves

¼

cup grated Parmesan cheese

1

shallot, chopped

1

tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper

1. Toast garlic in 8-inch skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and spotty brown, about 7 minutes; let cool slightly, then peel and chop.

2. Process toasted garlic, peppers, oil, parsley, Parmesan, shallot, and thyme in food processor until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer to bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Before tossing pesto with pasta, stir several tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water into pesto to loosen its consistency.)