Roasted red pepper pesto pasta

Try saying that in a hurry or when you’ve had a glass of wine! Oh-so easy to make and very satisfying, this is perfect after a busy day on the go.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 400g/14 oz brown rice pasta (I use Rizopia brand)
• 10g/1/3 oz fresh parsley, chopped

For the pesto

• 1 garlic clove
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 15g/1/2 oz fresh basil
• 30g/1 oz pine nuts, plus extra to finish
• 50g/1 3/4 oz Parmesan, grated, plus extra to finish
• 120g/4 1/2 oz roasted red (bell) peppers from a jar
• 50g/scant 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, plus 1 tbsp of the oil
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

2. For the pesto, add the garlic, lemon juice, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, roasted red (bell) peppers, sun-dried tomatoes with their oil and olive oil to a food processor and blitz, adding a splash of water if necessary to make it less thick.

3. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, then drain, rinse in cold water and mix with the pesto. Tip into a baking tray, top with a little more Parmesan and pine nuts and bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Top with parsley and serve with a refreshing side salad.

Tips and notes

If you can’t tolerate lactose, this pesto sauce works equally as well using a lactose-free hard cheese.

From Coconut Oil: Recipes for Real Life. Recipe text © 2016 Lucy Bee Limited.