No need to have pricey pine-nuts on hand, as this simple recipe comes together so quickly with common ingredients such as almonds, basil and Parmesan. Tossed in a hot, freshly cooked pasta and topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, this makes a delicious and colourful summer meal.
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse and drain the tomatoes. Cut them in half lengthwise and place them in a medium-sized bowl.
Add the minced garlic to the tomatoes. Drizzle in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon to mix the tomatoes until they’re incorporated well.
Place the tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet and roast in an oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to shrivel up slightly and begin to brown.
To prepare the pasta
As the oven is pre-heating for the tomatoes, fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.
Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving about ¼ cup of the starchy pasta water.
Meanwhile, place basil, almonds, garlic, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese into a food processer or blender and process until coarsely combined.
Gradually stream in the olive oil. If the mixture is too thick, add in a bit of the pasta water and continue to blend until incorporated.
Toss the pesto with the pasta until well coated. Top with roasted tomatoes and serve.
Notes
Feel free to substitute the blanched, slivered almonds with whole almonds or any other nut. You can even try nuts that are lightly roasted for a more nutty flavour.