Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Pesto

Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Pesto

Time: 1 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large red sweet peppers
• 1/2 cup grated asiago cheese or 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

Directions

• 1 Peel away dry outer skin from garlic head.
• 2 Leave skins of garlic cloves intact.
• 3 Cut off pointed top portion with a knife, leaving the head intact but exposing the individual cloves.
• 4 Place garlic head, cut side up, in small baking dish.
• 5 Drizzle with oil; cover and set aside.
• 6 Halve the sweet peppers; remove stem, membranes and seeds.
• 7 Place peppers, cut sides down, on foil lined baking sheet.
• 8 Bake peppers and covered garlic in a 425 oven 20-25 minutes or until pepper skins are bubbly and blackened.
• 9 Remove peppers.
• 10 Place peppers in a clean brown paper bag and seal.
• 11 Let stand 20-30 minutes or until peppers are cool enough to handle.
• 12 Continue baking garlic 20-35 minutes more until garlic cloves feel soft when pressed.
• 13 Set garlic aside to cool.
• 14 Using a sharp knife, carefully peel peppers.
• 15 Cut peppers into pieces.
• 16 Remove garlic head from oil, reserve oil.
• 17 Press to remove garlic paste from the individual cloves.
• 18 In food processor bowl or blender container combine roasted pepper pieces, garlic paste, reserved oil, Asiago or Parmesan cheese, black pepper and salt.
• 19 Cover and process with several on-off turns until smooth.
• 20 When necessary, stop food processor or blender and use a rubber scraper to scrape the side of bowl or container.
• 21 Stir in thyme.
• 22 To store, place in airtight container and store in refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 3 months.
• 23 To serve, bring pesto to room temperature.