I’m in a bit of a pickle. I really want to keep making recipe comics because they’re fun, but with the new and more serious comic on it’s way I find myself increasingly strapped for time. I hate abandoning projects, and I, in fact, refuse to abandon this comic, but I can’t keep up the one recipe per week schedule for the next two months.
Sadly, Even in Arcadia has to take priority. It’s a more involved project that I feel really matches my skill as a comic artist, and is far more suited to my goal of being a long form story teller.
Nonetheless, I refuse to let my fellow cooks go without encouragement. I will make a comic recipe whenever I can, and in between I will post different vegetarian recipes in writing here on the blog. These written recipes will have a tag of the same name, and also be searchable under the regular recipe tag category (dinner, lunch, appetizers, etc). I will also be around to post videos, illustrations and sketches of Tomato and May, and cooking in general.
So, without further adieu, today’s recipe!
Pasta with Tomato Pesto and Roasted Red Pepper
Ingredients:
* 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
* 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
* 1/2 onion, diced
* 3 stalks celery, sliced
* 2 large tomatoes, diced
* 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
* 1/2 cup frozen peas
* 3/4 cup pesto
* 1/2 cup cream or milk
* 1 tbsp flour
* salt and pepper to taste
* veggie oil or olive oil
* 2-3 cups dried small pasta (penne, eg)
Prep:
Preheat oven to 400F. Toss red pepper with oil and salt and spread in one layer over a baking sheet. Roast pepper until soft and blackened, 15 mins. Let stand.
Heat a pan full of water for pasta. Add salt and oil to the water, as well as a small amount of dried basil if you wish. It will add a little more flavor to the noodles.
Heat a dollop of oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes to release the flavour into the oil. Add onion and celery, sauté until soft, about 5 mins.
Mix diced tomatoes with flour until evenly coated. This will stop the flour from clumping in the sauce, while helping to thicken the milk. Mix the tomato flour mixture into the sauce pan and cook with the veggies. We need to cook the flour to get rid of it’s “floury” taste.
When tomatoes are heated through and starting to release their water, mix in pesto. Stir until evenly coated. Add milk and peas. Heat through until peas are cooked and sauce is thick, no more than 5 minutes Don’t allow the sauce to boil.
Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, but do not rinse. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta with sauce and strips of roasted red pepper on top. Accompany with fresh French bread and a simple salad with oil-vinegar dressing.
Oh great, now I’m hungry. Serves me right for posting delicious pasta recipes at 1:30 in the morning.
