Tomato-covered pesto tilapia

Hello world! (again!!) Sorry for my absence, I have been thinking a lot about blogging and wishing I had more time for it, but I don't :(... Anyways, I have another great recipe for you, which was inspired by my insane brain trying to think of what to make with leftover pesto I made the week before!!! My brain takes me places I never knew existed before! Actually it is similar to a recipe I made before with olive tapenade instead of pesto... I'll link you to it as it is also quite yummy! Anyways, I love to explore different nationalities when I cook. This pesto took me to... Italy! I served this tilapia with zucchini risotto! All I needed was a glass of wine and I was there! Oh the possibilities of cooking! Enjoy this recipe and don't be afraid to improvise!

Tomato topped pesto tilapia:

Ingredients:
4 fillets tilapia, skin optional
5 tbsp parsley walnut pesto, recipe below
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Pour olive oil in the bottom of a glass pan. I didn't have a big enough pan or oven (I used a toaster oven), so I had to split it into two, which was fine. Using your hands, smear the oil all around the bottom of the pan. Place tilapia skin-side down in the pan. Spoon pesto onto the tops of the fish, and use the spoon to smear it all over. Don't be too afraid to use a lot, because it gets less strong when cooked. Cover fish with thinly sliced tomato rounds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in oven for 15-20 minutes, until fish is firm and cooked, and tomatoes are cooked well. Broil on high for a few minutes to get some colour, but make sure not to overcook the fish, otherwise it will be dry. Enjoy!!

Parsley walnut pesto:
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, washed and cut up
1/3 cup walnuts
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a blender, put in parsley, walnuts and garlic. Add a little cold water to help the blending process, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil through the hole in the top of the blender. Add salt and pepper and blend until consistency is smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. You can use pesto in almost anything! You can put it in sandwiches, pasta, salads, grilled chicken, the opportunities are endless! Busy in brooklyn did a great post on the endless varieties of pesto, and here it is:.