With ingredients most of us have on hand, you can make this intensely-flavored tomato pesto in no time. Fresh herbs, good cheese, toasted nuts elevate the simple dish.
A couple of readers asked for a meat-free recipe so, here’s the second installment of “What’s for Dinner Tonight.” This dish is pretty easy to make from pantry ingredients. I got the original recipe from the host at an open-house. Since it can be served at room temperature, it’s not a bad choice for that type of party. Fresh and hot is best, though.
This pasta dish is completely meat-free yet satisfying enough for omnivores. You could boost the protein by adding meat, but you won't miss it. The ingredients are often on hand (or should be) and with very little forethought, you’ve got an intensely flavored pasta.
Ingredients you probably have on hand:
- 1/3 C slivered almonds, toasted
- 6 oz can of good tomato paste, or sun-dried tomatoes
- ¼ C minced fresh parsley (flat leaf, Italian)
- ¼ C finely chopped fresh basil (you may substitute 2 tsp dried)
- ½ C olive oil
- ½ C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients you may have to pick up:
- Fresh parsley, basil
- Pasta
- Parmigiano-reggiano
Steps:
- Put a large pot of water on for the pasta. I like farfalle (bowties) or gemelli (twists) for orichiette (little ears) for this.
- Toast the almonds in the oven and watch carefully, they’ll only need to be golden when you take them out. Remove them from the pan immediately.
- Combine all ingredients but the pasta in a large bowl. This can be done ahead of time, warmed to room temp while the pasta water boils.
- Cook the pasta, add about 2 TBSP of the pasta cooking water to the pesto to thin it out before you drain it all away, then combine the cooked pasta with the tomato pesto.
Tips:
- Parmigiano-Reggiano is far superior to the “parmesan” in the green can. Buy a hunk and grate it as needed. I use a mix of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano for most recipes calling for “parmesan.”
- Olive oil – extra virgin, first cold pressed is the highest quality. You can spend a small fortune on really fine olive oils but you need not. Supermarket brands are passable if you get the best quality available there, EVOO.
- Keep pine nuts, almonds, walnuts in the freezer. They’ll last longer and they’re a great thing to have on hand. A few will make a healthy snack, they can be added protein for a salad, and you can make a nice batch of spiced nuts for a terrific holiday hostess gift. Pine nuts can be purchased much cheaper in Chinese grocers than in regular supermarkets. When toasting nuts, you can toast more than you need for a single recipe and refrigerate the extra for the next time.
- Sun-dried tomatoes work well in this recipe, too. I prefer dry ones to oil-cured. Simply re-hydrate with some hot water, drain, and buzz in the blender.
- Contrast equals interest. The key to this simple recipe is the balance between the sharp fresh garlic, the sweet intense tomato, the fresh herbs and the crunch of the toasted nuts.
- Keep items such as fresh parsley on hand to perk up many dishes. Rinse, spin dry thoroughly in your salad spinner or by rolling in a clean dry kitchen towel, and keep in the fridge in a zip bag with a bit of paper towel to absorb moisture.
The classic pesto most of us are familiar with is that made with basil, garlic, parmigiano-reggiano, olive oil, pine nut combination. The name “Pesto” comes from “pestare” or to pound, and was traditionally done in a mortar and pestle. While basil is fresh in the market, (look for bunches that have not yet flowered, which can make it bitter) you can make batches of pesto, and freeze it in ice cube trays. If you’re going to use it within two weeks or so, you can keep it in the fridge, covered with a thin layer of oil or plastic wrap. It will discolor without it, and even a bit with these protective measures.
In France, pistou, (like pesto, though without the nuts) is used to flavor soups.
