Roasted Pepper Pesto Pasta & a Barilla PLUS Giveaway

August 10, 2012
Have you ever been to a farmers’ market? Well sadly, in my lifetime, the only time I went to farmers’ markets was when I was inspecting them as a part of my stint as a health inspector.
So, when Barilla approached me and asked me to come up with a tasty, fresh, farmers’ market inspired dish using their Barilla PLUS pasta, I had a reason to finally hunt one down and go!
The colors of produce and flowers you see at these markets are amazing. I was originally drawn to the zucchini because everybody is complaining about having way too much zucchini. I decided that enough people were giving the zucchini attention right now, that it would be ok if I didn’t include it in this recipe.
My next thought was about bell peppers. Not the red ones, the green ones. I don’t think enough people give these guys the attention they deserve, so I plucked two large green peppers along with a few cute jalapenos and knew exactly what I wanted to do.
I didn’t feel the need to add any proteins like chicken or fish because the peppers along with the Barilla PLUS pasta give you all the balance you need in one dish! Barilla PLUS pastas are premium, multi-grain pasta rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber with the same great taste you expect from traditional pasta.
Think of this as Mexican-Italian fusion pasta! The spice from roasted peppers combined with the perfectly cooked pasta make for one inviting, healthy, farmers market inspired dish.
(See below for giveaway details)
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
2 Large Green Bell Peppers
1 Jalapeno
1 Box Barilla PLUS Spaghetti
Handful Fresh Cilantro (approx. ½ cup chopped)
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
1 Clove of Garlic, roughly chopped
¼ Cup Parmesan, grated
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
¼ Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Roast the green peppers and jalapeno over an open flame, either on the stove burner or over the grill. You want to char each side of the peppers. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the peppers are charred and blackened all around, add them to a plastic storage bag. Seal the bag and let the peppers steam for about 20 minutes while you work on the rest of the prep.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook for about ten minutes. When the pasta is cooked, drain and set off to the side.
Once the peppers have steamed for the allotted time, remove them from the bag. Using a paper towel, start to brush the blackened charred skin off the peppers. Then remove the seeds and stems.
Roughly chop all the peppers and add them to a food processor along with the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, parmesan, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Puree the pesto for about a minute until it starts to flow easily through the food processor.
When ready to serve, add about two tablespoons of sauce to a serving of the warm Barilla PLUS spaghetti and mix together.
If you are making this for a large crowd, you can also toss the pasta, pesto, and a ladle-full of pasta water together in a large skillet and heat over warm until all the pasta is dished out.
The pasta and pesto last under refrigeration in an air-tight container for up to five days… but I don’t think you will even have leftovers. Trust me! If you are looking for a good protein to go with this dish, try my Blackened Chicken.
Now on to the giveaway!!!!

 

Lucky for all you Sarcastic Cooking readers the nice people of Barilla gave me two boxes of Barilla PLUS pasta along with a $25.00 Visa gift card, so you can either make this wonderful meal or come up with your own healthy and farmer’s market inspired dish. One or two nights of not having to worry about what’s for dinner sounds pretty awesome to me!
Here is how to enter:
  • You must be a U.S. resident.
  • Comment on this post and tell me what farmer’s market inspired dish you would make using Barilla PLUS.
For extra chances to win:
  • If you are on twitter, tweet the following: “I just entered to win a $25 Visa gift card and pasta from @BarillaUS and @sarcasticcook!” Then leave a separate comment saying you tweeted about the giveaway.
  • Follow @sarcasticcook on Twitter and then leave a separate comment below stating you did so.
  • Like Sarcastic Cooking on Facebook and then leave a separate comment below saying you liked my Facebook page.
  • If you are on Pinterest, pin a picture from this post with the caption, “Roasted Pepper Pesto and a Barilla PLUS Giveaway” and then leave a separate comment below stating you did so.
The giveaway will be open until midnight on August 17th, 2012. After that time a winner will be drawn at random and notified via email. Make sure you leave the best email where you can be contacted.

 

Good luck!
Special thanks to Barilla for inspiring this dish by providing me with the Barilla PLUS Pasta and a Visa gift card for my farmers’ market spending spree. Barilla also is providing the pasta and gift card for the giveaway. The written views and opinions of this post, however, are solely my own.

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  • amy marantino
    August 17, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    i like Sarcastic Cooking on facebook (as amy beth maraschino)

  • amy marantino
    August 17, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    I follow @sarcasticcook on twitter as @onitnaram2

  • amy marantino
    August 17, 2012 at 9:11 pm

    i tweeted – https://twitter.com/onitnaram/status/236646203994013697

  • amy marantino
    August 17, 2012 at 9:11 pm

    i woul dmake my grandmother’s recipe for spaghetti with nuts (and garlic and olive oil and paremsan)

  • Danielle
    August 17, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    I’m a follower on Twitter.

  • Danielle
    August 17, 2012 at 5:23 pm

    I tweeted the giveaway.

  • Danielle
    August 17, 2012 at 5:22 pm

    I love tomatoes so I’d definitely use them to inspire my dish. Maybe diced with some fresh basil- oh yum!

  • Sara P.
    August 17, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    I would make a pasta with summer squash, tomato, and basil. Yum!!

  • Summer Garden Pasta
    August 17, 2012 at 9:14 am

    […] of Barilla, it is the last day to enter my giveaway! Head over here to enter for a chance to win a $25 Visa gift card and free Barilla PLUS! That way you can get […]

  • Janice
    August 15, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    pinned:
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  • Janice
    August 15, 2012 at 10:47 pm

    tweeted:
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  • Janice
    August 15, 2012 at 10:46 pm

    a yummy pasta loaded with fresh veggies – bell peppers, squash, etc

  • Alaine
    August 15, 2012 at 2:29 pm

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  • Alaine
    August 15, 2012 at 2:29 pm

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  • Alaine
    August 15, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    I’ve make a veggie pasta.
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    August 15, 2012 at 12:54 pm

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    August 15, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    following sarcasticcook on twitter ohsmiledarling

  • ashley
    August 15, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    liked on facebook!

  • ashley
    August 15, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    I would make beef bolognese with sauteed zucchini and yellow squash!

  • Louis
    August 14, 2012 at 11:07 pm

    Bowtie pasta with sauteed garlic, red bell pepper, and peas, tossed with goat cheese.

  • Meryl
    August 14, 2012 at 11:05 pm

    I’d make roasted vegetables with penne.

  • Lynda Del
    August 14, 2012 at 9:08 am

    I LIKE you on Facebook. ID: Lynda C.

  • Lynda Del
    August 14, 2012 at 8:51 am

    Eggplant Parmigiana!

  • marci h
    August 12, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    following on twitter @MarciHurst

  • marci h
    August 12, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    a new fan on FB 🙂

  • marci h
    August 12, 2012 at 12:14 pm

    i would make chicken parm. with fresh garden tomatoes and basil 🙂

  • Kelly E.
    August 12, 2012 at 7:52 am

    I love Barilla PLUS. I would make a scampi of sorts using fresh veggies from the market. (Mostly peppers as I have an abundance of peppers in all shapes, sizes, and colors in my fridge. I got a little carried away by the rainbow!)

  • Kelly E.
    August 12, 2012 at 7:51 am

    I follow @sarcasticcook on Twitter!

  • Kelly E.
    August 12, 2012 at 7:50 am

    I tweeted!

    https://twitter.com/jarslikejam/status/234632704904286208

  • Carolsue
    August 12, 2012 at 12:49 am

    I pinned this on my Pinterest Board
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    August 12, 2012 at 12:47 am

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    August 12, 2012 at 12:46 am

    I follow you on Twitter as MsCarolsueA
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  • Carolsue
    August 12, 2012 at 12:45 am

    Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta from Marta Stewart
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  • Dee
    August 11, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    I like you on fb as Dee G.

  • Dee
    August 11, 2012 at 2:14 pm

    pinned as deeg131 http://pinterest.com/pin/74942781270220021/

  • Dee
    August 11, 2012 at 2:11 pm

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  • Dee
    August 11, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    I would make a pasta dish! 🙂

  • Shawn @ I Wash...You Dry
    August 11, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    Looks great Stephanie! I would love to make some veggie filled pasta dish! Yum!

  • Stephanie
    August 11, 2012 at 4:56 am

    tweet: https://twitter.com/akronugurl/status/234226643382702081

    8/11

  • Stephanie
    August 11, 2012 at 4:55 am

    i would make pasta

  • Kesha
    August 11, 2012 at 4:46 am

    I Like Sarcastic Cooking on Facebook

  • Kesha
    August 11, 2012 at 4:45 am

    I Follow @sarcasticcook on twitter

  • Kesha
    August 11, 2012 at 4:44 am

    I pinned this on Pinterest. http://pinterest.com/pin/118993615125243389/

  • Kesha
    August 11, 2012 at 4:41 am

    I tweeted this giveaway. https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/keshakeke/status/234222736615014401

  • Kesha
    August 11, 2012 at 4:40 am

    I would make a tomato pie! Maybe some pasta sauce too!
    keshakeke@aol.com

  • Michelle H.
    August 11, 2012 at 4:03 am

    Following you on Facebook (Michelle Hudak)

  • Michelle H.
    August 11, 2012 at 4:02 am

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    August 11, 2012 at 4:01 am

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    August 11, 2012 at 4:01 am

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  • Michelle H.
    August 11, 2012 at 4:00 am

    I’d make bacon,egg and tomato pasta Sicily with fresh cilantro.

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    August 11, 2012 at 1:13 am

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  • Jessie C.
    August 11, 2012 at 1:12 am

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  • Jessie C.
    August 11, 2012 at 1:11 am

    Follow @sarcasticcook on Twitter

  • Jessie C.
    August 11, 2012 at 1:11 am

    https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/234169572767461378

  • Jessie C.
    August 11, 2012 at 1:11 am

    I’d make grilled zucchini. roasted red pepper sauce pasta.

  • Elena
    August 10, 2012 at 11:33 pm

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  • Elena
    August 10, 2012 at 11:31 pm

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  • Elena
    August 10, 2012 at 11:30 pm

    I would make pasta primavera with fresh garden vegetables

  • steph
    August 10, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    id love to make a cajun alfredo with farmers market jalapenos with barilla plus!

  • Leslie
    August 10, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    I like to put a few fresh tomatoes in the food porocessor with about a 1/4 cup of pesto. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Pour on hot pasta.

  • Amanda Sakovitz
    August 10, 2012 at 10:13 pm

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    August 10, 2012 at 10:12 pm

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    August 10, 2012 at 10:12 pm

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    August 10, 2012 at 10:11 pm

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  • Amanda Sakovitz
    August 10, 2012 at 10:11 pm

    i would make pasta with zucchini and squash

  • Mami2jcn
    August 10, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/234095070234685440

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    August 10, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    I follow you on Twitter– mami2jcn

  • Mami2jcn
    August 10, 2012 at 8:12 pm

    I like you on Facebook with my username Mary Happymommy.

  • Maureen
    August 10, 2012 at 8:12 pm

    Pasta Carbonara with my own or the peas from the farmer;s market

  • Mami2jcn
    August 10, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    I would make a pasta salad with fresh tomatoes.

  • Debra Lee
    August 10, 2012 at 7:31 pm

    Pinned here: http://pinterest.com/pin/162833342748084374/

  • Debra Lee
    August 10, 2012 at 7:30 pm

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  • Debra Lee
    August 10, 2012 at 7:29 pm

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  • Debra Lee
    August 10, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    Muybe something withh grilled zucchini!

  • MissMessy
    August 10, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    Yummy! 🙂

  • kris
    August 10, 2012 at 5:35 pm

    What a fresh and light pasta dish!!!! I think the pasta plus would make a healthy addition to my spinach,tomato dish with a lemon dressing.

  • Julie
    August 10, 2012 at 1:07 pm

    And…I pinned it! I’m finished, too!

  • Julie
    August 10, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    I do follow you on facebook, though! 🙂

  • Julie
    August 10, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    Well, I really like the simple avocado pasta that is so quick and easy, but since that’s a bit hard to find at our local farmer’s market, I really like a simple golden zucchini with some cherry tomatoes thrown in with a very light sauce on top. But, I’m a pasta freak, so it would be lots of pasta, lots of zucchini and about two tomatoes. Unfortunately for me, I have a dumb phone, so I can’t tweet (well, with a phone).

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    August 10, 2012 at 11:22 am

    You’ve been pinned. (And I’m done.)

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    August 10, 2012 at 11:21 am

    Tweet tweet! (I’m a freak.)

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    August 10, 2012 at 11:20 am

    Twitter. Obvs.

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    August 10, 2012 at 11:20 am

    FB. Duh.

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    August 10, 2012 at 11:19 am

    I was watching Rachael Ray (don’t judge me, i already judged myself) make a gorgeous cherry tomato and feta pasta sauce yesterday. I’m gonna have to put that on the list.

    • Stefanie
      August 10, 2012 at 11:47 am

      Oh, I love you Stephie! Thanks for entering!

  • Kimberly P.
    August 10, 2012 at 9:15 am

    I just tweeted about your giveaway on Twitter. 🙂

  • Kimberly P.
    August 10, 2012 at 9:13 am

    Following @sarcasticcook on Twitter.

  • Kimberly P.
    August 10, 2012 at 9:09 am

    I would make a big pot of pasta primavera!