Pasta with Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Basil is a mere garnish in this nutty, cheesy, peak season pesto sauce.

⅔ cup walnuts
2 pts cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. + ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
6 anchovies, oil-packed, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated (~ ½ cup)
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz spaghetti or other long pasta
½ cup basil leaves, packed

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

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.

Makes 4 servings.

Make-Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: Calories (kcal) 720 Fat (g) 41 Saturated Fat (g) 6 Cholesterol (mg) 10 Carbohydrates (g) 73 Dietary Fiber (g) 6 Total Sugars (g) 8 Protein (g) 19 Sodium (mg) 280