Sun-Dried Tomato & Toasted Almond Pesto

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A deep red, deeply savoury pesto built on oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, toasted almonds and a generous handful of basil — then loosened with starchy pasta water so it clings to every noodle instead of sitting in the bowl. The trick is a short warm soak for the tomatoes and a splash of red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness, which is what separates a glossy trattoria-style sauce from the gritty jarred stuff. Makes enough for a pound of pasta, with extra for sandwiches and roast chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (about 6 oz drained weight)
• 1/2 cup raw whole almonds (or pine nuts)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 lb short pasta such as fusilli, casarecce or rigatoni
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• reserved starchy pasta water
• extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and torn basil, for finishing

Instructions

1. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, for 6 to 8 minutes, until they smell nutty and the skins darken a shade. Tip onto a plate and let them cool completely — warm nuts turn the pesto pasty and dull the basil.
2. Put the drained sun-dried tomatoes in a small heatproof bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then drain well and blot dry. This softens any leathery edges and rinses off the tinny jar flavour, so the pesto blends smooth rather than stringy.
3. Drop the garlic cloves into a food processor with the cooled almonds and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the almonds look like coarse gravel. Don't run it continuously yet — you want texture, not almond butter.
4. Add the drained tomatoes, basil, both cheeses, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Pulse 15 to 20 times, scraping the bowl twice, until you have a thick, chunky paste.
5. With the machine running on low, pour the 1/2 cup olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream over about 20 seconds. Stop as soon as it comes together into a glossy, spoonable pesto — roughly 1 1/2 cups. Taste and adjust with salt and a few more drops of vinegar; it should read bright and salty, since pasta will mute it.
6. Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water (about 1 tablespoon kosher salt per 4 quarts) until 1 minute shy of the package time. Before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of pasta water.
7. Off the heat, combine 1 cup of the pesto, the butter and 3/4 cup hot pasta water in a wide skillet or the still-warm pasta pot. Stir briskly for 20 to 30 seconds until it emulsifies into a smooth, pourable sauce — never let it boil, or the cheese and oil will split.
8. Add the drained pasta and toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until the sauce coats each piece and pools slightly at the bottom of the pan. Serve immediately with extra Parmigiano and torn basil.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem