What’s Cooking: Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Pastrami Pasta

I have always loved pesto whether on pasta or bread, even fish but hubby doesn’t like it. He says it taste too much like leaves. Whatever that means!? He on the other hand loves tomatoes, I am not a big fan. I only eat tomatoes if its made into a sauce or in really small quantities. Last weekend I found some sun dried tomatoes at the grocery store at P75 for a hundred grams, a bit pricey but you do not really need that much and it keeps really well. I also wanted to use some of the home made pesto I have sitting on the fridge. So, here’s something I made that got both of us eating what we love. It’s also kid friendly, Sofie loves it.

WhatYahNeed:

3 tbsp oil

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes soaked in hot water 

4 tbsp pesto sauce

4 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup beef broth

4-6 slices pastrami

2-3 slices goat cheese

3 tbsp chopped parsley

dash of chili flakes

salt and pepper to taste

250 grams cooked linguine

WhatYahGottaDo:

1. Heat up some oil in a non-stick pan, sweat the onions for a few seconds up until it changes color then add the garlic. 

2. Drain the sun dried tomatoes from the water, it should be tender to the touch. Chop in small pieces or use a food  processor. I like it a bit chunky so I just used my trusty cleaver and did some chopping. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and saute for a bit. Stir in the pesto sauce, tomato paste and beef broth. Continue stirring until it looks nice and saucy or about five minutes. Add the salt and pepper to taste. 

3.Toss in the cooked linguine and top it off with shredded pastrami, crumbled goat cheese, chili flakes and chopped parsley.  

  

** You can also use fresh basil if you do not have pesto and any variety of sun dried tomatoes. 

Happy Eating!