Spinach and Red Pepper Pesto Pasta Salad
Here's a creative way to sneak veggies into your family's meal. This dish sits well on a picnic table as well.
by Local Flavor | from rachaelray.com | on 06/16/08
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 10 ounce package spinach, defrosted or 1 pound fresh baby spinach
- 2 fat jarred roasted red sweet peppers
- 1 clove garlic, or 1/2 medium onion, chopped (if raw garlic is too much for you)
- 3/4 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, more to pass around the table.
Serves 6
Preparation
Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, take spinach and place in blender or food processor. Add red peppers and garlic and blend, slowly adding a steady stream of EVOO. This mixture should form a smooth puree, but if it gets stuck and you need more liquid, add more EVOO and a squeeze of lemon juice to loosen things up.
In a large bowl, toss penne with spinach sauce, salt and pepper to taste and grated cheese. Add more cheese if you like. Serve with a Caprese tomato salad.
