Pasta with Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Source: Bon Appetit July 2016

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup walnuts
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsps plus ⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• kosher salt
• 6 oil-packed anchovies, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ oz (about ½ cup) Parmesan Cheese, finely grated plus more for serving
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 12 oz spaghetti
• ½ cup, packed basil leaves

Method

Preheat oven to 350. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened, 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Heat broiler. Toss tomatoes with 2 tbsp oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Broil, tossing once, until tomatoes are blistered and have released some of their liquid, 5-7 minutes. Let cool.

Pulse anchovies, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and ½ oz Parmesan in a food processor until finely ground.

Add walnuts and half of tomatoes, then, with motor running, stream in ⅓ cup oil; process just until combined. Season with salt. Transfer pesto to a large bowl and stir in black pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

Transfer pasta to bowl with pesto and add a splash of pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Add basil and remaining tomatoes.

Divide among bowls; top with more Parmesan and black pepper and drizzle with oil.

Notes

Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.