Roasted Garlic And Red Pepper Pesto Recipe

How to Make Roasted Garlic And Red Pepper Pesto

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Prepare the garlic: Remove the dry outer skin from 1 whole head of garlic. Leave the skins of the individual cloves intact. Cut off the pointed top portion of the garlic head with a knife, exposing the cloves but keeping the head whole.
3. Place the garlic head, cut-side up, in a small oven-safe dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Cover the dish with foil and set aside.
5. Prepare the peppers: Halve two large red bell peppers. Remove the stems, membranes, and seeds.
6. Place the peppers, cut-side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet.
7. Roast: Bake the peppers and covered garlic in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the pepper skins are bubbly and blackened.
8. Cool the peppers: Remove the peppers from the oven. Place them in a clean brown paper bag and seal. Let stand for 20-30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
9. Continue roasting garlic: Continue baking the garlic for another 20-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.
10. Cool the garlic: Remove the garlic from the oven and set aside to cool.
11. Peel and chop: Once cool enough to handle, carefully peel the skin from the roasted peppers and chop them into pieces.
12. Extract garlic: Remove the garlic head from the oil (reserve the oil). Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves to extract the paste.
13. Make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the roasted pepper pieces, roasted garlic paste, 2 tablespoons of reserved garlic oil, 1/2 cup (115g) grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
14. Blend: Process using several on/off pulses until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
15. Stir in thyme: Stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.
16. Store: Transfer the pesto to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
17. Serve: To serve, bring the pesto to room temperature.