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Fettuccine with Goat-Cheese Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes
(recipe, Diana Henry)

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Introduction
I find basil pesto just a little cloying, so I like the tartness goat cheese brings. It might seem like a strange combination, but this is also good with sautéed strips of bitter radicchio instead of tomatoes.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes (about 24 tomatoes)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 12 oz. fettuccine
Pesto
- 3 oz. (about 1 cup) basil leaves
- 3 Tbsp. pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 oz. soft goat cheese
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the tomatoes in a roasting pan, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are completely soft and a little charred. They can be either hot or at room temperature when added to the pasta.
- Cook the fettuccine in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, put the basil, pine nuts, garlic, half the Parmesan, and salt and pepper into a food processor. Blend, gradually adding the extra-virgin olive oil, then stir in the rest of the Parmesan. Break up the goat cheese and gently stir it into the pesto. Check the seasoning.
- Drain the pasta and toss in a warmed bowl with the pesto and the roasted tomatoes.