I am motorbike crazy and yet, I cannot ride. So imagine my delight this month when The Kitchen Witch was assigned to me for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. Rhonda rides bikes, and says of herself that she is an above average home cook. She is a mum of 6 and a grandmother to 3 and has lived in a few interesting places. I chose to make the sun dried tomato pesto recipe as I love easy pasta dishes for the weekend. Pasta and beans are a a staple ingredient in our house but I have never put them together. This recipe only provided one challenge for me, in that I did not know what the sun dried tomato pesto tasted like, and that I made a batch myself. I think it needed slightly more oomph, but as Dave is not a big fan of sun dried tomatoes, I made the flavour quite subtle. I have since mixed the pesto with some basil pistou which is really tasty. I am using that together with my togarashi dressing to zest up our weekday meals. This is a great meat free dish, but the next time I make it, I am going to add some chorizo for a bit of spice.
which is your most used staple ingredient?
- 200g pasta cooked according to the packet instructions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 tablespoons sundried tomato pesto
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes
- 100g mix of baby spinach leaves, rocket and watercress
- 1 tin cannellini beans
- Salt for seasoning
- Parmesan cheese for garnishing
- While your pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan
- Sauté the onions until soft and then add the pesto and the chilli flakes
- Once heated through add the spinach, rocket and watercress and wilt the greens
- Add the beans and heat through
- At this stage you might need to loosen the sauce with some of the pasta water
- Add the pasta to the sauce and mix through
- Season to taste and serve with some shaved Parmesan cheese
For conversions click here
Tandy
I love sun dried tomato pesto, it is also excellent on a baked potato
I shall have to try that 🙂
I enjoy pesto, but I’m with Dave on the sundried tomatoes, not my favourite.
I shall remember that for next time you visit Sue 🙂
This looks like such a hearty Autumn recipe, Tandy–I love it!
Thank you Squishy 🙂
Looks delicious Tandy…like the sun dried tomato pesto with the cannellini bean in this pasta dish…so healthy and yet tasty.
Have a great week 🙂
thank you Juliana, that is a great way to describe it 🙂
I love it! Cannellini beans need a strong flavour like sun dried tomatoes pesto…I make this pesto but I’ve never had with pasta! Great dinner idea, Tandy!
thank you Rita, coming from you that means a lot!
I love pasta with pesto…my favourite. My tummy is officially rumbling now (it’s 10:15 at night…)
Pesto on some toast would make a good late night snack!
I love chorizo but could do without sun dried tomatoes!
Dave feels the same way most of the time 🙂
Thanks for this recipe Tandy 🙂
my pleasure Hope 🙂
Hi Tandy, we have pasta a nd beans quite a lot as I grow shelling beans, like Borlotti. But I like your twist using sun dried tomatoes and the hint of chilli. Delicious !
I have never seen a Borlotti bean that does not come in a tin 🙂
ooh that’s a really good question! I guess butter for lack of a better guess but it might be something else…Love the look of this dish!
butter is a good answer 🙂
I haven’t tried combining beans and pasta yet either — but I think that this sounds great, especially with the sundried tomotoes in there. My staple ingredient would have to be sausage!
We also usually have sausages at home 🙂
This sounds like a deliciously filling comfort food for the cold days here in Canada! xx
It is a very comforting plate of food 🙂
Thanks for another great pasta recipe Tandy. I’ve also never used beans in pasta, but I’m sure this will taste delicious. 🙂
It is my pleasure AD 🙂
Well Tandy, if you can’t ride I will just have to come visit and give you a ride sometime! Chorizo or hot Italian sausage would be a great match for this dish and give it that extra zip you crave. I keep a shaker of red pepper flakes on our table so my hubby can zip things up a bit more for himself…he likes spicy!
I would love you to come over to Sunny SA 🙂 And I shall keep a bottle of chilli flakes on the table for Dave 🙂
Oh YUM! I love sun dried tomato, and pesto! Nice pick!
Thank you Chellie 🙂
I make a pasta and bean soup but have not had a pasta dish with beans. This sounds very good.
I like the idea of your soup Karen 🙂
Mmm…pasta! This dish looks so comforting and delicious!
thank you Melissa 🙂
Oh, that pesto in here sounds amazing!! This looks so good! Great choice!!
thank you Debbi 🙂
When Pete is home, meat, meat and more meat is the staple oh and potatoes, potatoes and potatoes.
🙂 Mandy
I have only bought potatoes twice this year!
I love both – fast and delicious pasta recipes. And I can ride a bike 😀
I am going to have to learn to ride one day 🙂
I loved perusing your blog this month! You are quite an accomplished cook! I love sun-dried tomatoes…this dish sounds wonderful! Great SRC choice.
Thank you Kate 🙂 and thank you for visiting today 🙂
yum!
Thank you 🙂