Penne with Pesto

[ama723]

I, in no way, claim this to be my own recipe. I found it at www.womenshealthmag.com in the nutrition section. But it is definitely delicious. Also, we leave out the cheese sometimes (honestly you can't tell much of a difference without it and it lowers the calories and fat), we use ~1/2 a tsp of dried basil instead of the fresh, and we use whole wheat pasta to up the fiber content. To roast regular unsalted almonds, I put them on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree (preheated) oven for about 7 minutes (and I usually make extra for healthy snacking!)

Enjoy!

Penne with Pesto alla Trapanese

3/4 lb penne rigate pasta
1/2 lb (about 4) Roma tomatoes, very ripe and sweet
8 large, fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp unsalted roasted almonds
1 large garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano)

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
2. While pasta cooks, rinse the tomatoes and basil and pat dry. Cut tomatoes into large chunks.
3. Place the tomatoes in a blender or food processor, followed by the basil, almonds, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine purée; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large pieces are left.
4. With the machine still running, add the olive oil in a steady stream; it will emulsify the purée into a thick pesto.
5. Scrape the pesto into a big bowl. Drop drained pasta onto the pesto. Toss quickly to coat the pasta, sprinkle on cheese, and toss again. Serve immediately in bowls.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 495 calories, 19 g fat (3 g saturated), 232 mg sodium, 67 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 15 g protein