Red Pepper Pesto

This flavourful sauce is wonderful with pasta, in soups and stews,

on pizza, toasted sarmies or finger food pastries,

or even serve it as a dipping sauce with chicken gudgeons,

fish sticks or strips of char grilled steak.

I like to use the long pointed Italian peppers,

which have the most amazing flavour with a little heat,

but not too much.

If you prefer, you can use green peppers

or a selection of colours to vary the colour of the sauce,

but red always has such a fabulous look in a dish.

.

Ingredients:
6 red peppers
60ml extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
10ml paprika
60ml toasted almonds or pine nuts
60ml fresh coriander, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Rinse the peppers and pat dry. Place them on a baking tray and roast at 240C for about 15-20 minutes until the skins are black and blistered. Remove from the oven and put in a plastic bag, or a bowl covered in cling film to sweat. This will make removing the skins much easier. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes.

While the peppers are roasting, heat the oil in a small pan and sizzle the garlic and paprika for a few seconds. This helps bring out their flavour. Place this mixture in a food processor or blender.

When the peppers have cooled, remove the skins and seeds from the peppers, saving the juices if you can. Place the flesh and any reserved juices in the food processor or blender with the garlic and paprika mixture. Add the almonds and coriander. Season with salt and pepper and purée until smooth.

This pesto will keep in a covered container in the fridge for about a week.