Categories: Pasta

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup walnuts
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp. plus 1/3 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves

Directions

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

2. 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.

3. Pulse garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 oz. Parmesan in a food processor until finely ground. Add walnuts and half of tomatoes, then, with motor running, steam in 1/3 cup oil; process just until combined. Season with salt. Transfer pesto to a large bowl and stir in black pepper.

4. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salt water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.

5. 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.

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

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