Orecchiette with pesto and oven roasted tomatoes recipe

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• Pesto
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
• Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Orecchiette
• 1.5 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 16 oz orecchiette pasta
• 1 batch of homemade pesto (see recipe)
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425° F and set a large pot of salted water on high heat to boil for the pasta.

In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with a teaspoon of olive oil. Lay them in a single layer on lined baking sheet and roast for 15-18 minutes.

Cook pasta according to directions and strain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

Add the freshly made pesto to your pot and stir to coat. If the pesto is too thick for your liking you can thin it out a bit with the reserved pasta water, adding a little at a time.

Add in the oven roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. The warmth of the past will soften the cheese.

Add salt if needed.

Nutrition analysis per serving: 430 calories, 23 g fat (heart-healthy fats), 14 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 175 mg sodium