Tomato Tomato Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, divided
• ½ cup julienned oil-packed sundried tomatoes, oil reserved
• ¼ cup slivered almonds
• 1–2 garlic cloves
• ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 cup loosely packed basil
• ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 300g short pasta, such as rotini, penne, or rigatoni

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, add half of the cherry tomatoes to a food processor along with the sundried tomatoes, almonds, and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped and combined. Add in the Parmigiano Reggiano, basil, and red pepper flakes and pulse to finely chop and combine. With the mixer running, add in 4 to 6 tablespoons of sundried tomato and/or olive oil to reach a saucy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Cut the remaining tomatoes in half and set aside.
4. Season the boiling water well with salt and add in the pasta to cook according to the package directions.
5. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour over the pesto and add in a splash of the pasta water and stir vigorously to combine, adding more pasta water as needed. Stir through the halved cherry tomatoes.
6. Serve topped with extra basil and Parmigiano Reggiano.