There is nothing unusual about grabbing a couple of cans of tomatoes off the shelf to make a pasta sauce, particularly in the winter when tomatoes are offseason. That’s where this recipe starts. But it quickly veers into uncommonly good territory as these canned tomatoes are roasted. Canned tomatoes are already cooked, so their flavor is somewhat concentrated, but roasting them doubles down on that, further intensifying their umami and imparting a fire-cooked essence. That deep, complex, savoriness anchors this mouthwatering pesto.
To roast the tomatoes for this recipe, you fish out whole, peeled tomatoes from their cans, clean them of their juices, which vary in thickness depending on the brand of tomatoes you buy, then use your thumbs to split them and remove their seeds, a task which feels to me more like a hands-on craft project than a chore.
Then you toss the tomato filets with a handful of unpeeled garlic cloves and oil, spread them out on a sheet pan, and roast until the garlic is soft and golden and the tomatoes develop a light char on the edges.
The tomatoes and garlic then go into a food processor with toasted almonds, lots of fresh basil, a brightening splash of red wine vinegar, a warming hint of crushed red pepper and some salt. Once that is whirred together, you drizzle in olive oil until everything is incorporated, and then add a punch of parmesan cheese.
The resulting pesto is a big, juicy hug of intense tomato flavor layered with savory cheesiness, crunchy nuttiness and herbal freshness. Tossed with just-cooked spaghetti (ideally, whole grain for its nutty flavor, which echoes the almonds so well, as well as its nutrition), showered with more parmesan cheese and topped with fresh basil leaves, it’s an extraordinary meal that reveals the exciting possibilities of an ordinary pantry ingredient.
