Sun-Dried Tomato And Pesto Pasta Recipe

Sun-Dried Tomato & Pesto Pasta is a popular Italian preparation combining savory pesto & tangy sun dried tomatoes for a light summery pasta.

Step By Step Instructions for Sun-Dried Tomato And Pesto Pasta Recipe

Heat water in a large pot and add oil and salt in it.
2 Teaspoon Olive Oil, 1 Teaspoon Salt
Add the pasta in the water and cook it for 8-10 minutes according to package instructions stirring occasionally.
2 Cups Rotini Pasta, 4 Cups Water
Cook the pasta al dente. It should be still slightly firm when bitten.
Remove the pasta from the water and set it aside. Save the cooking water for later to use in the sauce. Run the pasta under cold water in a strainer to prevent it from cooking further.

In a blender or food processor, combine basil leaves and sun dried tomatoes. If needed you can add a little olive oil as well, however the sun-dried tomatoes are already packed in olive oil which has soaked up flavor from the tomatoes, so you will not need to add too much extra oil.
2 Cup Basil Leaves, 1 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, packed in Olive Oil
Lightly toast the almonds in a skillet. Now add the garlic cloves, roasted almonds, salt, black pepper powder and lemon juice.
3-4 Garlic Cloves, 1/4 Cup Almonds (Baadam), 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder (Kali Mirch), 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Grind the mixture to a thick chunky sauce.
Transfer the sauce to a pan and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.
Toss the pasta to coat it in the sauce. Add some of the pasta water that you had saved earlier to thin the sauce slightly.
Season with some fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese (skip for a vegan version). Serve the pasta hot or at room temperature along with some garlic bread.