Almond and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

As a great lover of all things pesto, this Almond and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta earns a spot in my top ten list.  It is so simple and easy to make, and super delicious too! The sun dried tomatoes make the pesto both salty and savoury, while the almonds add texture and flavour.

Okay, Dear Reader, I don’t officially have a top ten list of pesto recipes. Not one that I carry around with me in my wallet. And, certainly not one that I’m going to admit to at this particular time.  But, if I did, then this Almond and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta would be on that list, and most likely, very close to the top.

This is one of those pasta dishes that make you feel better about yourself and make you happy to be alive.  Am I the only one that can feel such powerful emotions from eating good food?  If I’m not alone, please come forward.  We can start a club!

COOKING AND BAKING IS PERSONAL!

I’ve shared this with John.e before, but I’m not sure I’ve talked about it at Lord Byron’s Kitchen.  My recipes – my creations – are extremely personal.  I try my best to not take negativity to heart. But, it’s really hard to hear the words, “I didn’t like it.”  Everyone has their own personal tastes, but when it comes to sharing food you’ve prepared, it’s very personal.

When someone loves to cook and bake, and likes to share it with the world, yet that same person is an introvert and is also a perfectionist, doing so can be rather difficult.  I have worked through my shyness with sharing my recipes. I have embraced the food blog experience. Once in a while though, a reader will comment that it wasn’t good, or it didn’t turn out.

It never fails to hit me right where it hurts, but I keep reminding myself that not everyone likes rhubarb; not everyone likes foods drenched in sauce; not everyone eats cake or cookies on the regular.  And, that’s alright! But, when you’ve poured your heart and soul into it, it’s hard to not have pleased the masses.

STICKING WITH IT!

Over the past few years, Lord Byron’s Kitchen has changed names, formats, and cuisines.  If you’ve been with me for a while, you might remember when Lord Byron’s Kitchen was called Pretty Practical Pantry. You might also remember when posts didn’t feature a recipe card at the bottom at all!  Blogging of any kind is a huge learning experience. Along with learning to plate and present the food, you must also learn to roll with the punches – negativity included.

Now, I try not to focus too much on what I think people would like to eat.  I focus on preparing recipes that taste great and look great to me. It can be prepared by someone just like me – the untrained, at-home, kitchen-loving cook.  Honestly, not even John.e or McKenna get a vote anymore.  If I listened to either of them, every dish would be vegetarian, or at least include chocolate of some kind!

Almond and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta was a ‘me’ dish.  I prepared it and loved it.  I share it with the hopes that you love it too. You will need to forgive me for not sticking to what might just be my number one recipe of all time – Sun Dried Tomato Pesto.  Sometimes – not too often though! – it’s good to switch things up a little bit.

LESSONS LEARNED!

I guess there’s a lesson to be learned in all of this. It’s to do what feels right to you. Eat what tastes good to you. And, take the negative comments in stride.  Either you learn to ignore those comments, let them destroy you, or be like Jinx Monsoon to Michelle Visage: “Water off a duck’s back.”  Happy eating, Dear Reader!

Just one more thing, Dear Reader. I’m not being paid to say this, but I really do love this product. Whenever I need sun dried tomatoes, I try to get my hand on the Trader Joe’s brand. They are the perfect dried sun dried tomato!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Sun Dried Tomatoes – Use the dried sun dried tomatoes in this recipe. The type that you can buy in a jar, packed in oil, is the best, but in this recipe that type completely takes over the flavour of everything else. The packet of dry sun dried tomatoes works best here.
• Olive Oil – Extra virgin light olive oil is muted, which is my preferred olive oil.
• Almonds – Use whole, unsalted, natural almonds. If you cannot find natural almonds, roasted will do the trick, but do not use salted almonds.
• Garlic – Freshly minced garlic here! None of that jarred or tube type!
• Salt & Ground Black Pepper
• Dried Red Chili Flakes – This is optional, but I love mildly spicy food, so I couldn’t resist!
• Parsley – For freshness, colour, and garnish.
• Parmesan Cheese – I love to use freshly grated parmesan whenever possible, but I’m not against the kind bought in a can either if that fits better into your grocery budget. However, with that said, pesto is always best with freshly grated parmesan.
• Spaghetti – You can use white, whole wheat, etc. You can also use fettuccini or linguine.
• Pasta Water – Reserved from the cooked and drained pasta.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

The first thing to do is to make the pesto. And, it’s quite easy! Here’s how I do it. First, add the olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, almonds, salt, ground black pepper, and chili flakes to a food processor.  Next, pulse until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse one or two times more to mix the parsley through the sun dried tomato and almond mixture.  Set aside.

Once the pasta has been cooked and drained, add it back to the pot.  Pour in the pasta water and all of the pesto.  Stir to combine.   Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Plate and serve with parsley and parmesan for garnish. I told you it was easy!!

COOKING PERFECT PASTA EVERY TIME!

Someone once told me that I prepare pasta like an old Italian grandma. That has stuck we me for so many years. You see, Dear Reader, I’m far from perfect, but cooking pasta is one thing I can certainly do perfectly. I don’t care what the back of the pasta package says, cook your pasta according to taste and texture. Ignore everything else. Here are my 4 steadfast rules. If you follow these, you’ll have the best tasting pasta possible!

Rule #1: Say no to oil!

Do you add oil to your pasta water before adding the pasta? Stop that right now! I don’t know who’s responsible for that, but I have seen some TV chefs do it! If you add oil to your pasta water, do you know what happens when you put the sauce on it? The sauce won’t stick as well as it should. It will slide off, because the oil prevents it from sticking.

Rule #2: Add extra salt!

Salt the water. I used to be so afraid of salting pasta water, because I thought it would be too salty to eat. Salting the water, before you add the pasta, is the only chance you get to season that pasta. Let the water come to full boil before adding your salt. The water should taste like the ocean.

Don’t dump the salt in; stir it in. Preventing the salt from settling at the bottom of your pot will keep your pot looking shiny and new. If you have pots with what looks like a tarnished or unpolished interior bottom, it’s because salt sat at the bottom of your pot.

Rule #3: Get that pasta moving about immediately!

Lastly, stir the pasta for a good minute when you first add it to the water. This helps to wash off some of the starch and prevents the pasta from sticking to the pot and to itself. I always pull out a piece of pasta 4 minutes before the package says it will be ready. Taste it. Chew it. It shouldn’t be completely soft. If it has a bit of bite left in the center, get it out of the water and drain it immediately. You can thank me later!

Rule #4: Do not rinse!

So many of us are tempting to rinse pasta under running water after it’s been drained. I think it comes from the notion that it gets rid of starch. Well, it does in a way. But, when pasta begins to cool off and dry a bit, it comes a little sticky. That stickiness soaks up pasta sauce, so don’t flush it out!

A quick drain is all you need. Get the pasta into a bowl or onto a plate. Get the sauce on it and serve it up. If you are one of those people that rinses pasta so that it doesn’t get sticky, hold off on cooking it until your sauce is ready. That way, it won’t have time to get stick before you plate it up!

CONCLUSION

Okay, this is getting a little long-winded, so I’ll go ahead and tie it all up now. When all is said and done, this is one of the best pasta and pesto combinations you’ll ever eat. It really is that good! If you have any leftovers, don’t worry. From the time you toss all of the ingredients together, you can refrigerate this dish for up to three days. Yes, it will certainly last that long in your fridge and still look and taste fresh! To reheat, toss in a warm skillet until warmed though, or simply pop it in the microwave for a minute or two! Enjoy!