Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts, unsalted
- 0.5 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 3 large unpeeled cloves garlic
- 1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
- 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 0.5 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 1 pound dried linguine
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
- 0.5 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts and pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3–4 minutes; shake the pan often to avoid burning.
- Blend the toasted pistachios, toasted pine nuts, garlic, basil, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper in a food processor until a coarse, spreadable pesto forms.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes cut-side down and cook until they blister and soften, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the drained linguine to the skillet with tomatoes and turn off the heat. Spoon in about 1 cup of pistachio pesto and toss to combine.
- Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce until it coats the pasta smoothly.
- Stir in the shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss until the cheese melts into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper if desired.
- Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Notes
Toast the nuts gently and watch them closely; they can burn quickly. Reserve pasta water to help the pesto cling to the linguine.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pasta Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian