Fresh Cherry Tomato and Pesto Pasta Recipe

This is a great side that is not complicated to make.  It goes great with Italian food and you can turn it into a meal by putting roast chicken breast on top.  The recipe serves 4 and takes about 30 minutes to make.  10 minutes of prep and about 20 minutes to cook.  It is also a little festive with the red and green colour combination of the ingredients.

Fresh Cherry Tomato and Pesto Pasta

Fresh Tomato and Pesto Pasta Recipe
Ingredients:
	12ox (375g) Penne
	2 TBSP All-Purpose Flour
	2 Cups (500ml) milk
	1/3 Cup prepared Basil Pesto
	1/4 TSP Salt
	1/2 TSP Pepper
	2 Cups (500ml) Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
	1 TBSP Grated Parmesan Cheese
	Fresh Basil Leaves
Steps:
	1) In a large pot cook pasta as instructed on box
	2) In bowl or large measuring glass combine cold milk with flour; whisk together well.
	3) Drain pasta and return to pot on medium heat.  Add flour and milk mixture and pesto.
	4) Stir frequently and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
	5) Season with salt, pepper and add tomatoes; cook till hot throughout.
	6) Garnish on plate or serving dish with parmesan and basil leaves.
Serve hot and immediately.

Ingredients for Fresh Cherry Tomato and Pesto Pasta

Prep work completed

Step 3 and 4 - Pasta Cooking with Pesto and Flour and Milk mixutre

Step 5 - Adding Tomatoes to Pasta with the Sauce now thickened

The Finished Product

Substitutions and Additions:

• You can cut out the salt in the recipe; as the parmesan already has plenty.
• You can add sliced pieces of roasted chicken breast on top to make this side into a main.
•  For added color and saltiness add sliced cured black olives.
•  For a spicier pasta add a 1/2 tsp of chili flakes when adding the pesto. 

What I've learned in making this pasta:

• It tastes far better with freshly grated parmesan than parmesan from the tube.  Saying that parmesan from grated by the cheese counter does taste better than the tube as well.

• I can not tell the difference in parmesan from Canada and Italy.  So, I don't why people will pay 3x the price for the cheese. 

Thoughts, comments or suggestions?  Please add them below.