Creamy Red Pesto Pasta
Ready in just under 30 minutes this vegetarian red pesto pasta is perfect for when you get home after a long day at work or school. This extra creamy pasta dish is warming, satisfying and very tasty and is a firm family favourite.
The creamy, cheesy sauce is silky smooth and honestly, I could probably just eat that on its own! The toasted pine nuts add a delicious earthy warmth and the sundried tomatoes add some extra zing to the finished dish!
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp Two Fool Collective Chilli Relish
Red Pesto
Mezzi Rigatoni Pasta
Fresh Spinach
Cheese - We use Mascarpone and Pecorino Romano. You can use any other vegetarian parmesan cheese. The Mascarpone is rich and creamy and the Pecorino is nice and salty which helps balance the sauce.
Sundried Tomatoes
METHOD
1. Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Then toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan, and remove the pinenuts when they are golden brown. Set aside until you are ready to use them. Next, add some oil to a large saute pan. Cook the onion until it is translucent and a little spongy. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the red pesto and 2 Tbsps of Chilli Relish, stir it in, and let it cook for a minute.
2. Next, add the mascarpone, one large tablespoon at a time. Slowly stir that until it melts and you have a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3. The spinach needs to go in next. I do this in two batches, add half the spinach to the sauce, carefully stir it until it has wilted then repeat with the remaining spinach. You now should have a lovely rich creamy sauce.
4. Add the finely grated pecorino. Stir everything together until the cheese has melted then pour in the pasta water and stir well. Stir in the chopped basil and sliced sundried tomatoes. Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce and gently mix everything together until all the pasta is coated in the sauce. Top the pasta with the toasted pine nuts and add a couple of leaves of basil. Serve with extra grated pecorino and some freshly ground black pepper.
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