I spend too much free time flipping through food magazines but it wasn't until I heard the host of Splendid Table talking about this pasta salad that I gave it a try. It is wonderful.
I do love roasted peppers, and even though the photo looks as though it is made with pureed carrots, it is the pepper sauce that gives it the color.
The addition of walnuts and bread crumbs keeps the salad bright.
The original recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine calls for peppers from a jar but i used a #28 ounce can and the taste is perfect.
To make the sauce, the instructions tell you to slowly add the olive oil to the peppers in your food processor. If you look at the feed tube in your food processor It has a pin hole in the bottom just for this purpose. Add your oil through the feed tube and the pin hole will slowly blend it in making a perfect sauce. ( This is also a great way to make mayonnaise. I don't know why the instruction manuals don't share the technique)
Romesco Pasta with Basil
1 Cup Walnuts
3 0unces country style bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2" pieces
4 whole roasted peppers from a can or jar
zest and juice of one lemon
1 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes, divided
1/2 Cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb fusilli pasta
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces ( I used cherry tomatoes)
4 ounces parmesan, finely chopped
1 Cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet tossing half way through-6-8 minutes.
Process bread in the food processor until you have coarse bread crumbs.
Puree in the food processor the red peppers, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and 1/4 of the cooled walnuts.
With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil through he feed tube.
Cook he pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and rinse to remove the starch.
Add 1/2 the sauce to the pasta. Toss
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a saute pan and cook the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and remaining 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.. Toss until golden 5-6 minutes.
Toss the remaining sauce, bread crumbs, tomatoes, parmesan and basil into the pasta.
Garnish with walnuts and serve.