Name: Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto (Pesto Alla Trapanese)
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 1/4 cup slivered almonds; 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups); 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves; 1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon); 1 small pepperoncini (hot peppers in vinegar), stemmed, seeded, and minced (about 1/2 teaspoon) (see note); Table salt; pinch red pepper flakes (optional); 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound pasta , preferably linguine or spaghetti; 1 ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

Why This Recipe Works

For a tomato pesto recipe that didn’t disappoint, we used toasted ground nuts, which provided body and crunch to offset the tomatoes’ pulpiness, and a modest amount of olive oil to make the sauce creamy without too much richness. The result was a clean, bright tomato pesto recipe with fruity, vibrant sweetness.

Before You Begin

A half teaspoon of red wine vinegar and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes can be substituted for the pepperoncini. If you don’t have a food processor, a blender may be substituted. In step 2, pulse ingredients until roughly chopped, then proceed with the recipe, reducing processing times by half.

Instructions

Toast almonds in small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until pale golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Cool almonds to room temperature.

Process cooled almonds, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepperoncini, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

Add pesto and ½ cup Parmesan to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coats pasta. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.