Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

When we included this recipe we had an abundance of red peppers in the garden and we decided to roast the peppers so we could use them in sandwiches, wraps, salads, side dishes and sauces.

We scoured the web to try and find an interesting way to use our roasted red peppers and we found a recipe on allrecipes.com for a roasted red pepper cream sauce. We tossed some whole-wheat penne in our sauce and served it to a hungry crew on the farm and the smoky, sweet creaminess of the sauce turned out to be a hit!

Below is the recipe for a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce: 

Ingredients:

• 2 Large Bell Peppers
• 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• ¼ Cup Fresh Basil
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Half-and-Half
• ¼ Cup Grated Romano Cheese
• 4 Tbsp Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Lightly coat the red peppers with olive oil. Grill peppers under the broiler until the skin is blackened, and the flesh has softened slightly. Place peppers in a paper bag or resealable plastic bag to cool for approximately 45 minutes.
2. Remove the seeds and skin from the peppers (the skin should come off the peppers easily now). Cut peppers into small pieces.
3. In a skillet, cook and stir the garlic, basil, and red peppers in 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, so that the flavors mix.
4. Place mixture in blender (careful it is hot), and puree to desired consistency. Return puree to skillet, and reheat to a boil. Stir in the half-and-half and the Romano cheese; cook and stir until the cheese melts. Add the butter, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and garnish with any remaining cheese.