Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

My love for  Mediterranean cuisine stems from it's simplicity. I believe I heard a quote once from Julia Child stating that Italian food was sometimes, too simple. Well one man's meat is definitely another's poison because it is the very simplicity of Italian food that I adore.

Take for instance humble ingredients such as basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and olive oil. You pound it all up and the world is gifted with pesto. Pesto that probably to the annoyance of the Italians has ended up taking starring roles in that cafe bought chicken sandwich, the gourmet soup in an upscale restaurant and even simply bought from the supermarket ready to be tossed with linguine. What was meant as a means to utilize the fruits of the land became Italy's largesse to the world. And what would we do without it?

So today, I picked up fresh basil, parsley and sweet peppers and decided our fridge needed to be stocked with some roasted red pepper basil pesto. Again, that's the beauty of the gift of pesto the Italians gave us. They gave us the dish but also a method in which to create a myriad of flavours. The classic is great but why not enhance it and put your own signature on it? So I have chosen this combination because I love the sweetness of the charred peppers infused with that unmistakable fragrance of the basil. This is superb on a crostini for a starter or simply snacked on with some crusty bread. Beware, its addictive and you will not be able to avoid gobbling it all up. Might I also add, it's a scrummy gift to give to family or friends. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 meaty red bell peppers (large)
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 scant cup basil leaves
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and chili flakes
Parmigiano reggiano cheese finely grated

1. Preheat your broiler. Once preheated, rub the peppers with oilve oil and broil them for about 15 to 20 minutes until their skins turn black. Place them into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool slightly then peel the skins off of them. It is important that the peppers stay relatively warm while you make the pesto as this allows them to break down easily.
2. Place the peppers into a food processor along with the chopped garlic, basil and pesto. Add a splash of olive oil then process until it's the consistency you like. I like my pesto slightly chunky for texture. Pour the pesto into a bowl and add the grated cheese and more olive oil to taste. Season with salt and chili flakes.

To store this pesto place it into a jar with a lid and cover the pesto with a film of olive oil. This is allow to keep fresh for a few days.