Pesto Calabrese

Hatch original recipe

After being gone for 5 weeks- home a week- gone another week- having a little gal who was teething and sick and waking up a million times a night plus not taking good naps--- it has taken a bit of time to get back into the swing of cooking. I honestly forgot that you can buy marinara sauce in a jar and cook some noodles and that can be dinner- but I'm glad we remembered that and I am going to keep some on the shelf. However, if you find yourself with time or energy or a desire to make something a bit nicer than jarred sauce and pasta- here is a recipe that is one of our very favorites. Nick came up with this recipe on his mission- and he says it is one he is most proud of since it isn't a very common dish and he figured it out with one of his companions. I will happily admit that anytime I make this dish it isn't quite as good, so I try to sucker him into making it whenever possible.

Ingredients

1 box Barilla pasta ( we opt for penne)
1 medium yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. dried or fresh basil
salt, to taste
chili pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 cups of grated cheese ( 1 cup mozzerella, 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmeggiano, etc)
*bit of Gorgonzola for depth- 1/2 oz, a few large crumbles...
grilled chicken (optional)
diced tomatoes (optional)


Directions

1. Bring salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-11 mintues.

2. Meanwhile, dice onion and bell peppers. In a small frying pan over medium heat add oil, salt and basil and saute onion and peppers, until soft. Place in food processor or blender, and blend thoroughly.

3. Transfer blended mixture to small sauce pan, over low-medium heat, add cheese and melt until incorporated-about 5-10 minutes. (I usually just keep it warmed until the pasta is ready) Add chili pepper/red pepper flakes to taste. Mix with pasta cooked al dente, add in diced tomatoes and grilled chicken before serving.

Serves 6-8.

*We tried the Gorgonzola this last time and it was perfect! The taste wasn't strong by any means, but it really added a little extra something. I highly recommend it with this addition.