Tri Color Potatoes With Basil Pecan Pesto Food

TRICOLOR POTATOES WITH PESTO AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Blend 4 tablespoons olive oil, basil, shallots, and garlic in processor until smooth. Season basil sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss all potatoes with 4 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl to coat. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Roast potatoes until almost tender, about 35 minutes. Pour basil sauce over potatoes and toss to coat. Continue roasting potatoes until golden brown and tender when pierced with skewer, about 20 minutes longer.
• Transfer potatoes to serving bowl. Add cheese and toss to coat.

BASIL PECAN PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the basil, pecans, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a food processor until the mixture becomes a slightly chunky paste.

BASIL PESTO TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
• Bake the potatoes in the oven for about an hour, until the skins are firm and the centres are soft.
• When the potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven. Halve them lengthways and scoop out the majority of the flesh with a spoon. Be very careful not to tear the skin- leave a quarter inch of flesh still in the skin to provide a firm shell.
• Lightly mash with a fork the flesh that has been removed from the skins. Mix in the mascarpone cheese and basil pesto sauce and season with salt and pepper if desired. Stir well to mix.
• Add the grated mozzarella and pine nuts and stir to mix.
• Scoop the filling back into the potatoes, smoothing the tops.
• Place on a foil-covered baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, until the filling is hot.
• Serve hot!

BASIL PECAN PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor blend together all ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth.(Pesto keeps, surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.)