Almond Pesto Fettuccine

This fettuccine with almond pesto and a hint of heat from peppers is inspired by Amis Trattoria in Philadelphia and is a unique take on pasta.

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 625kcal

Preheat oven to 300°F. Lay almonds in single layer. Roast for 25 minutes, tossing a halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool. Add almonds, olive oil, garlic and salt to blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add minced poblano and cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook fettuccine according to instructions. If using fresh pasta, cook for only 2 minutes.
In a medium saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced jalapeño and garlic and cook until garlic is starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with pasta water. Add the poblano ragu to pan and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the drained pasta to saute pan and continue cooking until water reduces by half. Add ¾ cup almond pesto and 1 cup Parmesan cheese, tossing to combine. Serve in bowl, topped with remaining Parmesan and chopped almonds.

Do not skip roasting the almonds. Roasting the almonds adds a depth of flavor in the almond pesto.
If you have a pasta maker or pasta maker attachment like I do, I highly suggest taking the time to make your own pasta. I always have pasta dough frozen in the freezer to use on these occasions.
Use pasta water to deglaze the pan. The water gets flavor from the cooked pasta which adds flavor to the actual sauce.
Use freshly grated Parmesan to finish the sauce. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 1-2 days in an air-tight container.