Red Pesto

This has to be one of the quickest pasta dishes, using homemade sun dried tomato pesto. If you want to make it in to a more creamy sauce, add a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche to the pasta with the pesto. 

You could also add other ingredients to the pasta, liked chorizo (that's been fried for a few minutes) or cooked peas. Enjoy x 

Ingredients
400g Spaghetti
140g Sun Dried Tomatoes (this is the drained weight)
1 Garlic Clove
2 tbsp Pinenuts (toasted)
1/4 tsp Dried Chilli Flakes (you can add a little more if you prefer)
5 tbsp Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Black Pepper
4 Basil Leaves
2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Optional: 2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated (I often leave this out. The children like to sprinkle it over the pasta when I serve it and you can have too much of a good thing!)

Method
To toast the pinenuts, put them in a dry non-stick pan on a medium heat. Toss the pine nuts every 30 seconds or so. It will take about 2-3 minutes for them to lightly browned. Turn the heat off and remove the pinenuts to a plate and leave them to cool. If you leave them in the hot pan they will keep on cooking.

Put the tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, chilli, vinegar and oil in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until you have a coarse (but not lumpy) paste.

Cook your pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving some of the pasta water (a few tablespoons).

Return the pasta to it's pan, add the pesto and mix well to coat. Add the reserved cooking water and mix again.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

You can also keep the pesto in the fridge for at least 1 week. Before storing it, pour in a shallow layer of virgin olive oil on top.