JALAPENO AND ALMOND PESTO BUCCATINI

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JALAPENO AND ALMOND PESTO BUCCATINI image

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound extruded semolina dough or dried bucatini
semolina, for dusting
1 ¼ cups skin-on almonds
2 cloves garlic
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (133 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions Comments & Suggestions

Steps:

  • Toast the almonds in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat, shaking the pan now and then, until they are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer 1 cup (145 g) of the almonds to a blender or food processor. Chop the remaining ¼ cup (36 g) almonds with a knife and set them aside. Add 1 clove garlic and ¼ cup (60 ml) of the oil to the blender or processor. Turn on the machine and drizzle in another ¼ cup (60 ml) of the oil, blending until the pesto is relatively smooth. Taste the pesto, adding salt until it tastes good to you. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the bucatini, cover the pot to quickly return the water to a boil, and cook the pasta until it is tender but still a little chewy when bitten, 4 to 5 minutes (8 to 10 minutes for fully dried boxed pasta). Drain the pasta and reserve the pasta water. 5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in the pan used to toast the almonds. Thinly slice the remaining garlic clove and add it to the pan along with the jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. 6. Add 1 cup (237 ml) of the pasta water to the pan, swirling the water and scraping up any browned bits on the pan bottom. Add the drained pasta and the almond pesto and toss until the sauce reduces slightly, gets creamy, and coats the pasta, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 cup (50 g) of the Parmesan. Keep the pasta moving until the cheese melts and pasta and sauce become one thing in the pan. Taste it, adding salt until it tastes good to you. 7. Dish out the pasta onto warmed plates and garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup (50 g) Parmesan and the reserved almonds.

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