Spaghetti with Red Pesto
These spaghetti with red pesto made from sun‑dried tomatoes and almonds are always a hit for dinner!
Ingredients
- 30 g sun‑dried tomatoes (6 pieces)
- 15 g red lentils
- 20 g raw almond kernels (1 Tbsp)
- 350 g spaghetti
- Salt
- 1 Garlic clove
- 20 g Parmesan cheese (1 piece)
- 3 basil stems
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Cayenne pepper
Instructions
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1.
Cut the sun‑dried tomatoes into very small pieces. Add lentils and 120 ml water to a small pot, cover, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes until the lentils soften. Remove from heat.
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2.
While the lentils are cooking, roughly chop the almonds and toast them in a non‑stick pan over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer to a small plate and let cool.
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3.
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile peel and roughly chop the garlic. Grate the Parmesan cheese finely.
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4.
Wash the basil, shake off excess water, pluck the leaves and set aside a few for garnish. Roughly chop the remaining leaves.
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5.
Combine tomatoes, lentils, tomato paste, garlic, olive oil, and almonds in a tall bowl. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
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6.
Add the chopped basil and blend again briefly. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season the pesto with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
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7.
Drain the spaghetti and let it drip, reserving some cooking water.
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8.
Stir 6–8 Tbsp of reserved pasta water into the pesto. Toss the spaghetti with the pesto in a bowl, garnish with remaining basil leaves, and serve immediately.
