pesto cream pasta

since i am out of town again this week, i'll keep this one short and sweet.

have some end of the summer - better eat them up soon before the plants die - tomatoes? how about some basil that you know won't last too much longer? do yourself a favor and whip them up in this pesto cream pasta. there are few things that stretch out summer like a bowl of fresh pesto.

pesto cream pasta
adapted from the pioneer woman
15 minutes, serves 4

jason really does not care for cream based pasta sauces, but this one is relatively light, with a quarter of a cup of cream. it's just enough to coat the pasta without feeling heavy or greasy. if you want to lighten it even more, try half and half instead.

1/2 pound (8 ounces) pasta, your choice (i used rotini)
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons almonds
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves peeled garlic
about 1/3 cup olive oil
about 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes, cored
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. cook the pasta  in salted water according to the package directions.
2. while the pasta is cooking, make the pesto. in the bowl of your food processor, pulse the basil, almonds, parmesan cheese, and garlic until coarse. while pulsing, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is well blended. add the diced tomatoes and blend until smooth.
3. when the pasta has finished cooking, toss it with the pesto, heavy cream, and butter, until the butter melts and the sauce coats the pasta. serve with crusty bread and additional freshly grated parmesan cheese.