Rotini Pasta in Red Bell Pepper Pesto / Rotini Pasta in Spicy Red Sauce

Ever Since I started venturing out different recipes in Italian Cuisine, the pesto varieties really triggered my imagination. Keeping the colors of the Pesto as green, red and white constantly, I am in the process of switching the respective ingredient for making those colors and trying the Pesto in various forms. This Red Bell Pepper is one of those and the spicy red pesto came out super delicious with good flavor. As such, red bell peppers have good amounts of anti oxidants and health benefits. In addition to that, this pesto is made more nutritious using Pine Nuts, Garlic, Black Pepper, Parmesan Cheese. This Pesto could be made in good amounts and stored in refrigerator for future use. Generally it gets over faster within a week. Definitely a colorful healthy treat to the kids and they love it. Try this out in your kitchen and let me know your comments for further improvements, my dear friends.

Ingredients

For the Red Pesto :

Red Bell Pepper / Red Capsicum - 2 Big Ones

Garlic Pods - 5
Black Pepper - 3 tsp
Pine Nuts - 2 tbsp
Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Fresh Basil Leaves - 1/2 cup

For making the Pasta Plate :
Rotini Whole Grain Pasta - 2 Cups
Salt - To Taste
Olive Oil - 2 tsp
Mushrooms - 1/2 cup ( cut in any desired shapes ) ( Optional )
Green Zucchini - 1/4 cup ( cut into small squares ) ( Optional )
Italian Seasoning powder - 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - To Taste
Red Bell Pepper Pesto Sauce - As Desired.
Parmesan Cheese or any romano cheese of your choice - To Garnish.

Method
For the Red Pesto :

• Toast the Red Bell Pepper either in the oven or on the stove. If you are roasting them on the stove, keep the Red Bell Pepper pieces on top of the Pulka making grill and toast them slowly on both sides till they turn light black.
• After its cooled down, grind them along with other ingredients in a blender and make the spicy red pesto. Store it in an airtight container. 

For the Pasta Plate :

• Cook the Rotini pasta in a separate vessel, drain them and keep ready.
• In the cooking pan / vessel, add oil first. When its heated, add the cut vegetables and saute them with a pinch of salt. 
• Add the Italian seasoning powder, little black pepper powder to taste and saute them again for a minute.
• Add few tablespoons of the prepared red pesto sauce into the pasta plate and serve immediately. 
• Garnish with either Parmesan cheese on its top or Romano Cheese of your choice.

Tips / Variations :

• Choose any shapes or varieties of Pasta while making this in your Kitchen.
• While making the Pesto Sauce, if you dont have Basil Leaves on hand, just add dried basil powder or add a tbsp of Basil Pesto Sauce into it. This is a shortcut i follow generally if its not available then. Honestly, nothing could be compared to adding the fresh basil leaves while making Pesto.
• If you dont want any veggies in your pasta plate, its purely optional. I know some people prefer to enjoy the pasta only with the Pesto Sauce and its richness. Agreed.
• Richness of the Pasta is determined by the type of cheese we use and garnish at the top.