Food - Drink
Pesto Rosso: The Umami-Rich Take On An Italian Classic
By ANNA STAROPOLI
With its vibrant green hue, quick and simple recipe, and pleasant herby flavor balanced by garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, pesto is a great addition to any pasta dish. However, if you’re in the mood for a more typical marinara sauce, but want the easy-to-prepare simplicity of pesto, look no further than pesto rosso.
Pesto rosso substitutes sun-dried tomatoes for basil but otherwise relies on all the standard ingredients like pine nuts, pecorino or Parmesan, olive oil, and garlic. To make pesto rosso, simply combine all the ingredients in a food processor — or mortar and pestle for a chunkier texture; for elevated flavor, try toasting your pine nuts first.
Pesto rosso offers a more intense, slightly-sweeter flavor than typical red sauces as the sun-dried tomatoes it relies on are typically sweeter and tangier. With its unique flavor, pesto rosso works well as either a sauce or a condiment, so if you’re ever tired of pasta, try spreading some on bread, adding it into minestrone soup, or atop a Caprese salad.