Hazelnut Pesto Pasta Salad

Saturday was my and my husband's wedding anniversary and we decided to have a BBQ for our family and close friends.

BBQ in my house means lots of delicious side salads, veggies and fruit as well as lots of assorted meats on the grill.

I was planning on making all the salads by myself, but unfortunately I had to take care of certain things for most of the day so I ran out of time.

Hubs decided to buy most of the salads at our local deli, but I had to make at least one salad otherwise it wouldn't be "my" BBQ.

I decided to make Hazelnut Pesto Pasta Salad.

I am not a big fan of pesto sauce due to the pine nuts so I decided to make my pesto with hazelnuts instead. It turned out great and it was a big hit with everybody.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Penne Pasta (cooked Al Dente)
• 1/2 cup Chopped Hazelnuts
• 2 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Asiago Cheese
• 1oz Fresh Basil
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper
• 1/4 cup Scallions

In a food processor combine hazelnuts, garlic and cheese. Add basil and blend until smooth. Gradually keep adding olive oil. Blend in lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chop the peppers and scallions into small chunks.

Place penne pasta into a bowl. Add the pesto sauce and stir until well blended. Stir in the peppers and scallions. Keep in the cool place before serving. 

You can sprinkle with more Asiago cheese if you like.

 You can serve this Hazelnut Pesto Sauce over hot pasta for a delicious pasta dish.