Chili Pesto Dip

Chili Pesto

2 1/2 oz dried red Anaheim (New Mexican) chilis-about 7 chilis (or half of a 5oz bag of "Chile de Ristra")

4 good sized garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 cup shelled walnuts

1 cup olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt

Flour tortillas

Crack off the stem of each chili and coax the seeds out, discard seeds. [Crack them in pieces if necessary to get most of them, most are near the stem]. Then soak the chiles, in a bowl, under water for about 1 hour to soften. I put a plate on top of the chilis to keep them submerged. Dry a few minutes in a strainer or on paper towels. Combine the garlic and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor (or halve the recipe and use a blender) and chop. Add chiles and stop and start and scrape down as necessary until things are pretty well blended. Leave the motor running and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Shut the motor off and add the cheese. Process briefly to combine. Add salt to taste. Scrape out of the bowl and cover until ready to use. Makes 2 cups.

Serve as a dip with flour tortilla chips. Cut flour tortillas into chip size wedges. Toast in 450° oven for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Or add a little heavy cream and serve over pasta. Pasta with leftover chicken and chili pesto sauce is very good. Careful if re-heating, as it can separate easily. Never boil. Can be put cold onto hot pasta and will warm up just fine.