I can’t even begin to tell you how fantastic this is.  You’ll have to trust me.  If you like pesto and chiles, you’ll love it.

Go, make it now.  I’ll be here waiting, eating all the pasta.

2 large poblano chiles
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup crushed cashews
1/2 – 1 cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
another 1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Cut chiles in half and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally, or until all peppers are very browned and bubbly.

2. Remove the chiles from the oven and carefully place them in a paper bag. Fold the top of the bag so that the chiles are sealed inside, and let them sit for about ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, put all other ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor. Once peppers have steamed at least ten minutes, remove them from the bag and place them on a cutting board. Use a paring knife to carefully remove the charred skins, stems, and seeds, and toss aside.

4. Chop chiles and add them to the food processor, then blend while drizzling olive oil through the opening in the top of the machine, blades turning. You may need to stop a couple of times to scrape the mixture off the sides of the processor bowl. Blend well until all ingredients are finely diced and evenly mixed.

5. Serve over pasta, on crackers, or with any other dish you might usually use pesto. This will keep for several days in the fridge. To freeze for later use, simply omit the cheese and add it later when you reheat the pesto.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

If your chile is on the hotter side, serve this pesto in a dish that also incorporates some dairy, which will offset the heat. I made a bowl of spinach spaghetti and added a big dollop of mascarpone!