Creamy Pistachio Pesto Pasta

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Add the tomatoes to a suitably-sized baking dish and toss with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until they begin to wilt/burst with the juice starting to leak out.

2. 2

   Add the pasta to well-salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and collect a cup of the leftover pasta water (do this just before draining so it’s at its starchiest). Try and match this step to when the tomatoes finish.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, place all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything is well-blended. Blitz in a drizzle more oil to thin it out if you need to.

4. 4

   Tip the drained pasta in to a large mixing bowl, then add in the pesto alongside a splash of the starchy pasta water (I start off with ~1/4 cup). Give it a really good mix, adding in more starchy pasta water as needed to create a silky/glossy sauce that clings to the pasta. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.

5. 5

   I like to serve up right away with a squeeze of lemon juice and the roasted tomatoes on top (plus all the excess juice in the baking dish). The burrata is optional, but you can slice it open and steal some of the centre for an extra creamy finish (I just roughly dot it over when serving).