Sicilian Pesto With Almonds and Tomatoes
Description
This pasta dish has much in common with the typical pesto but instead of pine nuts, it uses almonds with nice, juicy tomatoes as well. It just might become your new favorite meatless pasta dish.
Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Kosher salt
2 oz. toasted blanched almonds (1/2 c.) (pizzuta d'Avola almonds from Sicily, if possible)
4 sprigs basil leaves
2 - 4 mint leaves, optional
3 1/2 oz. grated Pecorino cheese or a mix of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
1 lb. plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 lb. linguine
1/2 c. reserved pasta cooking water
Directions
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Mortar and Pestle Method: Crush garlic in the mortar with a pinch of salt to make a paste. Add almonds; crush into a rough paste. Work in basil leaves and mint, if using, pounding and crushing into little bits. Smash in cheese, then tomatoes and olive oil. This should make a rough paste. Season with salt.
Food Processor Method: Pulse garlic with almonds until roughly chopped. Add basil, mint, if using, cheese, tomatoes, and olive oil; process until it's a rough paste. Season with salt.
Transfer two-thirds of the paste to a large heat-proof serving bowl.
In a pot of well salted boiling water, cook linguine until al dente, according to package directions, about 9 minutes. Drain; reserving 1 c. of the pasta cooking water.
Transfer pasta to the serving bowl; toss well, adding more olive oil and reserved pasta-cooking water, 1 T. each at a time, until a creamy sauce forms that isn't dry or soupy. Season with salt, to taste. If the sauce is too dry, add more pasta-cooking water.
Serve, with remaining sauce on top of each portion. Sprinkle on more cheese, if desired.
4 servings.