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Basil Pesto Pike by

Tags: Fish

Ingredients

• 2 cups basil leaves, packed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and coarsely diced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 450 g ziti pasta, cooked (reserve cooking water)
• 4 boneless, skinless pike fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), cut in 2-inch strips
across the grain

Instructions

Basil pesto

1- Place basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. 2- Add olive oil in a slow drizzle while the machine is running. Season with salt and
black pepper. Add cheese and pulse until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

Pasta & pike

1- Toss diced tomatoes in oil and vinegar. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Season tomatoes with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
2- Preheat oven to 350ΊF.
3- Reserve 1/4 cup of pesto to spread on cooked fillets; thin remaining pesto with 1/2 to
1 cup of water used to cook ziti pasta. Toss pasta in thinned pesto.
4- Season fish strips with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven
until flesh is just cooked through.
5- Remove fish from oven and spread 1/2 to 1 tsp pesto on each strip. Place fish on a bed
of ziti pasta, top with diced tomatoes and serve with crusty Italian bread.

Tasty toppings

There are several toppings that can enhance the flavor of any fish after it’s been baked. While this recipe features basil pesto, other pestos, such as arugula or sun-dried tomato, also work nicely with fish. As well, salsas made from tomatoes or fresh fruit can add a pleasant acidity to fish. For fish with a strong flavor, use toppings such as olive tapenade or gremolata, which also have a bolder taste.

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