Tuesday, Jul. 07, 2009

Flavor-packed red peppers make dish special

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Here are five ways to use roasted bell peppers that will wow your guests:

Puree the peppers in a food processor and serve as a dip. They're fat-free and extremely low in calories.

Serve slices of roasted red pepper with fresh mozzarella, a drizzling of quality olive oil and some fresh herbs as an appetizer.

Mix pureed red peppers with low-fat mayonnaise and use as a sandwich spread.

Use as a topping for appetizers such as crostini or canapes.

Puree with pitted kalamata olives to make tapenade.

PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER PESTO

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

3/4 cup roasted red peppers, patted dry and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small shallot, peeled, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pound pasta (about 3 cups dry)

Place the garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Toast the garlic, shaking the pan often, until the skins are spotty brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the garlic, cool and then peel and coarsely chop.

In a food processor place the garlic, peppers, Parmesan and ricotta cheese, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallot, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt; process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and season as needed with salt and black pepper.

At this point the pesto can be covered with plastic wrap (press the wrap directly onto the surface of the pesto) and refrigerated up to 3 days.

Bring large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Season it with kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring often, until al dente, about 8 minutes. When done, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

Add the pesto to the cooked pasta and toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until it's a sauce consistency. Place in serving bowls and top with seared scallops. Serves: 2 (generously)

-- Adapted from "Cooking for Two" by the editors of America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen, $35)