Capuliato- Dried Tomato Pesto

Capuliato bursts of Sicilian sun and island flavor, with sun-dried tomatoes whirred into a pesto. Capuliato means chopped up or minced; in the dialect, it is also used for minced (or ground) meat, but in general terms, it is used for the chopped up tomatoes, like this.

INGREDIENTS
150 grams dried tomatoes (about a cup)
A clove of garlic
a pinch of red chile flakes or cayenne
Fresh sBasil leaves
Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Mix a half-cup of white wine vinegar with a cup of water in a small pan and bring to a boil. Put the dried tomatoes in and let simmer for 2 minutes, turn off and let sit about 5 minutes. Drain and dry the tomatoes with paper towels.

Once they’re dry, put them in a mixer or food processor with the other ingredents and pulse until it is chopped and creamed but not too creamy and smooth. It should have small pieces still. Some home cooks prefer to chop the ingredients by hand. Put the pesto in a sterilized glass jar, press down with a spoon to remove air, pour on olive oil to cover and preserve it, close tightly and put in a cool place or refrigerator. (OR, use it right away, as one taste will have you slathering on bread and stirring it into pasta until it’s gone!)