Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto

This recipe for Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto is a result of my recent travels to beautiful sun-kissed Southern Italy. Italy is a country I love for many reasons; the sheer natural beauty, the history,  the architecture, the music, and of course, the food. I have been blessed to visit Italy at leisure twice and am looking forward to visiting it may many more times.

My visit to Southern Italy was for work but I took time out to visit and enjoy this beautiful region. I had  splendid time visiting the roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum; the Greek temples of Paestum; the volcanic Mount Vesuvius, and the beautiful coast of Amalfi. I hope to go back to this part of the world soon at leisure because what I saw in this short visit left me thirsting for more.

Of course, a 10-day visit to Italy is also a Gastronomic delight. Among other things, this part of Southern Italy is famous for its Lemons, Oranges, Mozarella,  and San Marzano Tomatoes. I savoured a whole new set of Italian dishes here and came back loaded with ingredients that should last me a while.

The first recipe I am showcasing is a super simple one called Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto. This fragrant pesto is brimming with flavour from the sun-dried tomatoes and basil, and is very easy to make. It preserves well and can be  used to flavour pastas and soups, or the be used a spread for bread.

Do try the recipe for Basil and Walnut Pesto as well and Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto.

How to Make Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto

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Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto

Aruna

This fragrant Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto from Southern Italy is easy to make and preserves well. You can use it to flavour soups and pastas, or then use it as a spread for bread.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cuisine Italian

Servings 1 Cup

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes
• 1/4 Packed Cup Italian Basil Leaves
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tsp Peperoncino Substitute 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 4 Large Garlic Cloves

Instructions

 

Preparing the Sun-dried Tomatoes

• Warm the olive oil till it is lukewarm.
• Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the oil.
• Let the sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil for about 1 hour.

Make the Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto

• Grind together all the ingredients into a coarse paste.
• The pesto is ready!

To Preserve the Pesto

• Remove into a glass jar.
• Add enough olive oil to cover the surface.
• Close the jar.
• Store in a cool, dry place.

Notes

Italian Basil tends to be sweeter than Thai basil, so please do not substitute one for another in any recipes.

Tried this recipe?Do let me know how you liked it @aahaaram or tag #aahaaram!

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