Presto Pesto

Pesto rolls, pork tenderloin, and a "forbidden" salad comprised our picnic meal today.  The salad was an assortment of black rice, cherries, white bean, orange and pistachio salad.  I combined ingredients from two recipes and added a little balsamic dressing to the rice.  Everything was good!  The recipe I wanted to share is the pesto mix for the bread roll.  I made the spelt dough, then rolled it into a rectangle, spread with pesto, brushed with 4 ounce tomato sauce and sprinkled with 1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese prior to rolling, cutting and rising the third time.

Here is the pesto recipe (needed 1 cup for 20 pesto rolls):

Spinach Pesto

(2 cups)

Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil.  
Add spinach, basil and parsley.  Cook for 20 seconds.
Remove green mixture to a bowl filled with ice water.  Let stand
for 30 seconds.  Drain and pat dry with clean towels.
5 cups fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
2 1/2 cups fresh basil, stems removed
2/3 cup parsley leaves

Add spinach mixture, tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice,
black pepper, cheese and olive oil to food processor.  
Process until finely chopped.
14 tablespoon grape tomatoes, diced
2 large cloves garlic
1 cup toasted walnuts
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup Parmigiano cheese, shredded
1/4 cup olive oil

Spread dough into a rectangle, approximately 9 X 14.  Pat pesto mix on top of dough to within 1/2 inch edge of rectangle.  Brush with 4 ounce marinara sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese.  Roll dough.  Cut in 1 inch pieces.  Place dough cut side up in pans greased with olive oil spray.  Let rise 40 minutes.

Bake at 350 F. for 40 minutes.

Our picnic today was at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia.  The tulip beds were a little past peak, but pretty just the same.