Sometimes my stubborn side just won’t let go, and I spend hours looking for a certain recipe, like this sun dried tomato and pine nut pesto, one I made a million years ago and have to make again, because from what I remember it was perfect, and I just need to make it now.
Like I don’t have other pestos I love, the arugula almond parsley, the one in the royal potato pesto salad or the cauliflower pesto from smitten kitchen. But I had promised you this recipe, on more than one occasion, and it had to be now.
Last year I made a trip to the US. By the time I went to claim my luggage, I had been travelling roughly 13 hours, and considering the flight itself from buenos aires to miami takes up no more than 7 of those hours, the equation is not good since I had spent as much time on board of the plane as I had standing in line for my boarding pass, making time to board the big bird, and finally the longest migrations line I remember.
Let me tell you Miami int’l has got to be one of the worst airports to arrive at from an international flight. Not to mention if you have to board a domestic flight right after it. But that’s not the issue here.
When I was finally ready to claim my only suitcase, since through the years I have gotten wiser in the travelling department thank whoever, the belt had already stopped and all the unclaimed bags where neatly arranged in a single long line.
So I wen’t and started looking for my black, unmarked suitcase, and I suddenly found myself at the end of the line, and my bag was not there. I immediately turned around and walked towards the uniformed middle-aged man eyeing the bags on my way back; mine was not there.
So I wen’t and started looking for my black, unmarked suitcase, and I suddenly found myself at the end of the line, and my bag was not there. I immediately turned around and walked towards the uniformed middle-aged man eyeing the bags on my way back; mine was not there.
The dialogue went something like this:
‘Is there another place where my bag might be found?’ I asked, very nicely
‘No ma’am, but look again, I’m sure it’s there’ he said, very nicely too
‘I don´t think so, I already looked carefully’ I answered, less nicely but still polite
I turned around and stomped down the line of suitcases again, and, again, I couldn’t find it. So on my way back, with very un-polite thoughts towards security man, I looked for the fourth time at the luggage in a single line. And then, suddenly, my suitcase was there. It had been there all along, of course, since I was the only passenger going up and down.
So I picked up my black, unmarked suitcase, went up to the middle-aged polite man, and found him with the biggest grin. I opened my mouth to apologize, but he said first:
‘Oh, don’t worry, it happens every single time.
About 9 or 10 passengers can’t find their luggage on the first try, long trips,
you’re tired but you don’t realize it. And you’re number 5 or six, so I still have to wait for a few more´.
About 9 or 10 passengers can’t find their luggage on the first try, long trips,
you’re tired but you don’t realize it. And you’re number 5 or six, so I still have to wait for a few more´.
I smiled, thanked him and left. If there was ever a time to shut up, it was then and there.
Something similar happened while looking for this recipe, but I was all alone, so I had no-one to blame but myself. I have a ton of old cooking magazines, mostly bon appetit. They opened up my mind and are responsible for much of my food obsession. Or passion. Both?
And so we’re clear, don’t touch one without my permission. If you decide to rip a page or borrow it without my knowledge, it’s your fault. Don’t blame me for your missing fingers.
He who warns is not a traitor.
So on to this sun dried tomato pesto. It has pine nuts, the most expensive thing around these days but so so so worth it. And shallots, garlic, parsley. It’s all good, easy to make and the uses for a pesto are never ending. Never. Ending. From pasta to tartines to grilled meats to marinades.
This one here was served on a toasted walnut raisin bread that I make, and topped with some goat’s feta cheese. The bomb.
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Sun-dried tomato and pine nut pesto
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
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Ingredients
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes
- ¾ cup packed stemmed fresh parsley
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 2 medium shallots
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup olive oil (or to taste)
Instructions
- Put the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let soften 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Chop very coarsely.
- In the bowl of a food processor, or immersion blender, put the chopped tomatoes, parsley, pine nuts, shallots, garlic, some pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add ¼ cup olive oil and process until a paste starts to form.
- With a spatula, clear the sides of the bowl, and taste. Add more salt and pepper if necessary and add the vinegar.
- With the machine running, add the rest of the olive oil in a thin stream. Clear the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- The pesto is done when it’s as chunkier or smooth as you want. You might not need the whole amount of oil.
- Check a final time for salt, pepper and vinegar. Adjust if needed.
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: Italian
barely adapted from Bon Appetit, August 1994
Kathy says
June 20, 2013 at 16:12I think you and I are kindred spirits when it comes to recipes! I have been known to be a little obsessive when it comes to finding recipes that I know I have. This recipe for sun dried tomato and pine nut pesto was definitely worth the search. I will be bookmarking it!
laurasmess.me says
June 19, 2013 at 23:34Aw yum! I've never made a sundried tomato pesto but now I seriously want to! I love the fact that you paired it with goats cheese, one of my favourite healthy addictions 🙂 And even though it's a long way, I'm with e – would love you to come and visit us over here! You'd be welcome to dinner at my house any time 🙂 xx
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 19, 2013 at 23:51Absolutely Laura!
e / dig in says
June 19, 2013 at 08:37paula, the more i read your stories, the more i love you. i think we would get along fabulously, so when you are game to make it thru an international airport again and you arrive in hobart, i'm here!
than you for a delicious looking pesto recipe – i would never think to make my own sun-dried tomato pesto. your photos are glorious.
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 19, 2013 at 12:12You know Australia is first on my list e!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
June 17, 2013 at 18:37I love this pesto idea! You can spread it on crostini, sandwiches, pastas –oh yum! And your photos are absolutely gorgeous Paula! Have a great week. 🙂
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
June 17, 2013 at 17:52This is my favorite pesto. Love it. And travel always rings a bell. We've all been there!
Cocoa and Lavender says
June 17, 2013 at 14:31Oh, I know EXACTLY how you felt… the missing knife, the missing bag, the missing pine nuts I KNEW were purchased… I am quick to blame anybody but myself for not seeing it where it was all the time… 🙂 This pesto sounds great – and when I commented on your blog the other day about my sun-dried tomato pesto, I realized this morning that it was a sun-dried tomato tapenade. Also good… And now I want both. ~ David
thelittleloaf says
June 17, 2013 at 09:22Homemade walnut raisin bread toasted and spread with this deliciousness sounds good to me! Our blender is broken at the moment – counting down the day until I can make gorgeous pestos again!
easyfoodsmith says
June 17, 2013 at 06:48I have tried a similar pesto with tomatoes and walnuts. Your recipe looks delish too and will try it your way soon.
Sorry to know about your experience at the airport.
Angie Schneider says
June 17, 2013 at 03:33This would be a perfect recipe to use the oven dried tomatoes I made last week. Gotta get some more pine nuts..the stuff is so good!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
June 17, 2013 at 01:30Paula,
I love the story about you at the airport. . We've all been there so don't feel bad. . and I feel the same way about my Food & Wine magazines but Madeline has not rec'd the memo yet. She always seems to find one and rips out a few pages. . so I have since moved all of them up where she cannot reach them. at least for now. 🙂
Dude, this pesto!!!! I love anything I can slather on a piece of bread . . and topped with some goat´s feta cheese?!!! what?!!!! The bomb, indeed! yum.
Bam's Kitchen says
June 17, 2013 at 00:41Love these flavours in here. A great make ahead snack for gatherings or just a wonderful pesto in your pasta. Do you put a little oil on top and store in the refrigerator if you have left overs?
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 17, 2013 at 00:45Yep!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
June 17, 2013 at 00:31Yay! You promised this recipe and I've been looking forward to it… + somehow I'd missed the cauliflower pesto. Oh baby! I may add an anchovy or two – looks spectacular!
What is that that makes us temporarily blind to what we're looking for? It reminds me of cartoons with swirling eyes – sometimes it feels that way. 🙂
The Ninja Baker says
June 16, 2013 at 23:47Sun dried tomatoes are a star ingredient in any recipe, nest-ce pas?
Your story at the airport made me smile…Travel is fun but does take a bit of energy…And keeping the spirits up certainly can be a challenge.
BTW Not to detour travel to LAX…But my friends from the UK swear they are going to go through customs at SFO next time =)
wp_vknotes_admin says
June 19, 2013 at 12:09I´m with them Kim!
yummychunklet says
June 16, 2013 at 23:40Tasty looking pesto!
Guru Uru says
June 16, 2013 at 20:31This pesto looks lovely, who needs green 😉
Great flavour combo!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Beth says
June 16, 2013 at 18:39Your pesto looks lovely. And my sympathies about the missing suitcase. Sometimes when I travel, I get pretty bleary-eyed too!
Renee says
June 16, 2013 at 18:17I have pine nuts in my freezer and a jar of sun dried tomatoes in my pantry. Excuse me while I go whip up a batch…
Helene Dsouza says
June 16, 2013 at 16:38Oh yeah it looks incredible. I NEED to try this, so I ll save it for a time when I have pine nuts. Smart recipe Paula, glad you shared it with us, I am completely inspired!
Jeannie Tay says
June 16, 2013 at 14:33I must say this looks absolutely yummy! I agreed they are very versatile and easy to make:D
Liz Berg says
June 16, 2013 at 14:31Oh, I can see so many uses for your magnificent pesto, Paula. But I'd start with this stunning nibble with the goat cheese….swooning.