Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Pesto

Actress Debi Mazar and her chef husband, Gabriele Corcos, hosts of the show Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel, spend summers at their rustic villa in Tuscany. “We don’t have a TV, so most of the fun happens in the garden,” says Corcos. Here, the couple shares their simple spaghetti tossed piping hot with a pureed fresh tomato sauce. Slideshow: More Pasta Recipes 

By Gabriele Corcos
June 2015

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Recipe Summary test

total:
25 mins
Yield:
6 to 8
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a sharp paring knife, mark an X on the bottom of each tomato. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and blanch just until the skins start to peel, about 30 seconds. Transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath to cool. Peel and transfer to a blender.

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  • In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add to the tomatoes in the blender, along with the garlic, grated cheese and 1/3 cup of olive oil; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

  • In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato sauce and toss to coat evenly. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil, garnish with cheese shavings and basil leaves and serve.

Make Ahead

The sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before tossing with the spaghetti.

Suggested Pairing

Tuscan Rosso di Montalcino, made from Sangiovese, is known as “baby Brunello.” Because it’s aged in-barrel for less time, it’s lighter and fruitier, and it’s terrific with tomato-based pastas.

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