Pesto

Owe this awesome recipe to Valentina :)

Ingredients (Serves 4):
1 bunch basil
3 Tbsp pine nuts - dry roasted
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Pasta for 4 - cooked al dente (I used spinach spaghetti)

Method:
1) Grind basil in a food prcoessor - until finely chopped for a few seconds
2) Add pine nuts, 1/2 cup cheese, about 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp powdered pepper - grind for few seconds. Add olive oil and grind for a few seconds
3) Mix with pasta. Check for salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining cheese. Serve hot :)
DONE!!!

Tomato-capsicum Bruschetta

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
8 slices bruschetta bread
2 medium sized tomato - finely chopped
1/2 medium sized green capsicum - finely chopped
1/4 medium sized red onion - finely chopped
2 Tbsp Italian herbs
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of pepper powder
1 garlic pod
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 200 C. Cut garlic and rub it on one side of bruschetta bread.
2) Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Let it rest for 15-20 mins and separate out the liquid.
3) Check for salt. Spoon the topping on the bread. Bake in oven for 5 mins.

DONE!!!

Gnocchi in tomato-mushroom-basil sauce

Ingredients (Serves 2):
Gnocchi 1 pack - 300g
2 tomato finely diced
10 mushrooms finely diced
3-4 sprigs of basil finely chopped
2 garlic pod - finely diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
Vinegar - 2 Tbsp (just felt like! ;))
pepper powder
salt
grated cheese - 2 Tbs

Method:
1) Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and wait until it turns golden brown.
2) Add tomato and fry for a minute. Add mushroom. Fry for another minute. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat
3) Add basil and vinegar. Add pepper and salt as needed.
4) Prepare gnocchi as instructed on the packet ;) Duh! :) Mix with sauce, garnish with cheese (i skipped this) and serve!

DONE!!!