Lettuce Patch Gardens

Sustainably grown artisan vegetables

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Spicy Tomato Pesto

1  large red bell pepper, roasted (can also use jarred roasted peppers)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2  tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 

a few grindings of fresh black pepper

2  medium tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped

1/4-1/2  teaspoon Tabasco sauce 

1  garlic clove, peeled 

2 oz. fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped 

8  pieces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped 

3  tablespoons tomato paste 

6-12  tablespoons olive oil 

1-2  ounce pecorino romano cheese or fresh parmesan cheese, grated 

If using a fresh pepper, grill the red pepper until the skin blackens and blisters. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and then peel the skin off.

Put the garlic, red pepper flakes ground pepper and toasted pine nuts in a food processor, roughly chop. One at a time, add the red pepper, basil, sundried tomato and tomato paste, processing everything is roughly blended.  Add the grated Pecorino or Parmesan. With the food processor running, slowly add the oil, stirring until everything has become a paste, but still retains a little of  it's own identity. Add tabasco to taste.

Serve over hot pasta or bruscetta.

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