Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sfoglini
Before I share the recipe , I want to say I love to be back to my blogging world. This quarantine made me think so much about how much I enjoyed blogging. I was going through old blog’s pictures, and boy did we have a laugh until our belly hurt. I don’t know what I was thinking while uploading all that stuff.
But you know, you learn and grow. And, blogging world is changing so rapidly that of course you have to keep learning new techniques and ways of doing things. While working from home, I was able to sneak out so much time to do baking and cooking, that I was like I want to share with my friends all that I am making everyday. So, I decided to update my blog big time. I thought even if I can share two recipes with you a month, that should still be great. But, I promise its going to be more recipes than two a month.
Now, coming to the recipe of this pasta. I love making pasta specially on busy weeknights when you want something literally in 10-15 minutes ready on the table. Specially, if you have the sun-dried tomato pesto jarred in fridge. I have incorporated tomato flavor in so many ways in this recipe. I am using it in sauce, there is pesto in there, there are cherry tomatoes. I love the intense flavor that sun-dried tomatoes provide. I love to make the pesto and store it for days to use it up later. It makes life and meals so much easier when you know you have a jar ready to use rather than taking out the food processor and making it every time you want to make pasta or something else with it.
I have also included some dairy in the recipe but you can completely make it dairy free, or just add the cream and not the ricotta. It will still be great in taste. It can be easily veganized by using coconut milk instead of cream. If you like saucy pasta, you can easily use more sauce. There is always that personal taste and this recipe is very customized.
The time, you are boiling the pasta, you can literally make the sauce on the other side and mix everything together. I would highly suggest you do not leave out the sun-dried tomato pesto. Because, its the star of the dish. After, all its sun-dried tomato pesto pasta. You can use any shape of pasta, but let me tell you I am obsessed with Sfoglini shape. Sometimes, that the only pasta I have in the house.
Sun- Dried Tomato Pesto Sfoglini
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sfoglini pasta or any shaped pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2-3/4 cup tomato sauce/ marinara sauce I use canned one
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto homemade or store bought, either works
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- fresh basil or parsley to garnish
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into half optional
Instructions
- Boil a big pot of water and add some salt to it. Boil the pasta as per the directions of the package.
- Meanwhile, in a pan blister the cherry tomatoes that are cut into half. Don't overcook them. Remove them in plate.
- In a pan, add olive oil, chopped garlic and shallots and cook it until they become translucent and soften up.
- Once, the shallots are cooked, add tomato sauce, sun-dried tomato pesto, heavy cream, ricotta, all the seasonings and stir everything well.
- Once, its mixed well add the boiled pasta. Stir again.
- Garnish it with freshly chopped basil or parsley. Serve Parmesan cheese on the side for people to individually add to their dishes. Before serving, add the tomatoes which we cooked earlier.