Basil Pesto Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomatoes
An easy pesto pasta made with basil pesto, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and oven-dried tomatoes. If you don't have those, halved cherry tomatoes can be used, or omit. Rich, flavorful, and ready in about 20 minutes, this simple pasta dish makes wonderful use of summer's preserved harvest.
Servings: 6 estimated
Ingredients
- 6 ounces pasta penne or shells work well
- ½ cup basil pesto
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups oven-dried tomatoes* chopped
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- Prepare the sauce. In the same pot, combine the pesto and heavy cream. Warm over medium-low heat, whisking until thoroughly combined and heated through.
- Combine. Add the roasted tomatoes and cooked pasta to the sauce. Pour in a little reserved pasta water, if desired, to loosen the sauce. I typically use about ½ cup. Stir until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Allow the pasta to simmer gently for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Serve with additional freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
Halved cherry tomatoes can be used if you do not have Oven-Dried Juliets.