SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO AND WALNUT PESTO

By louie

From Epicurious. Excellent made August 2016.
wonderful summer mean.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cups walnuts
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 T. plus 1/3 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 6 oil-packed anchovies, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp. finely crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Pre heat 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 t. olive 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 min. Let cool. Pulse anchovies,garlic, lemon zest, pepper flakes, and 1/2 oz. Parmesan in food processor until finely ground. Add walnuts and half of the tomatoes, then, with motor running, stream in 1/3 cup olive oil; process until just combined. season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta until al dente. drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Transfer pasta to bowl with pesto and add a splash of pasta cooking water. Toss. Add basil and remaining tomatoes. Serve with more Parmesan and drizzle with oil.