Easy penne and sundried tomatoes with basil and tahini paste pesto

Simple and easy but very tasty and filling recipe. Great for vegetarians but also for those who fast during this period if they omit the grated cheese. The ingredients balance together nicely and the pesto has a different and distinctive flavour thanks to the tahini paste

Recipe of Maria Loi,

a prominent Head Cook and restaurateur

"Kouzinomagiremata" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper (2008)

Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the pasta:
500gr. of penne pasta
10 sundried tomatoes from a jar with oil, drained
salt

For the pesto:
3 tbsp of tahini paste
1 small bunch of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
10 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 tbsp of Greek Kefalotyri cheese, grated (omit if you fast)
2 tbsp of pine nuts
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper

To garnish:
fresh basil leaves

Method:
Put in a blender the garlic and whiz until it is completely mashed. Then add the basil leaves, the grated cheese (if used), the pine nuts, the tahini paste, the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Whiz the ingredients until they are completely mashed and turned into a homogeneous mixture. Leave aside for later.

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water on medium heat according to your preference. Transfer into a colander to drain and bring back to the pot.

Cut the tomatoes into thin strips.

Serve the penne immediately, pour over the pesto, scatter the sundried tomatoes and garnish with the basil leaves.

Serve while the food is still hot.