Summer is here and heirloom tomatoes are beginning to appear at local markets. I love the juicy flavor they have and I enjoy them in simple recipes that are totally approachable for a weeknight meal. This recipe for pesto pasta with heirloom tomatoes screams summer to me and puts a smile on everyone’s face!
Pesto is a fantastic summer staple when basil is plentiful. This is a pretty simple recipe, but you could get creative and choose to add feta to make the sauce saltier. You could also use pistachios or walnuts instead of pine nuts. I love to add pesto to pizzas and sandwiches too! It’s really versatile and adds fantastic flavor. You can find another pesto recipe here!
Ingredients:
1 cup of basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pound angel hair pasta
1 large heirloom tomato
Parmesan for garnishing
Instructions:
Core and chop the tomato.
In a food processor, blend the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil until it is a smooth consistency.
Fill a large pot with water and add a dash of salt.
Bring the water to boil.
Cook the pasta until it is al dente, reserving a half cup of pasta water.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta in the pesto, adding a little pasta water to help the pesto coat the pasta.
Twirl each serving onto a plate and add the tomatoes.
Garnish with Parmesan, and basil leaves.
Enjoy!
