"This is an improvisation on basil pesto," says Waters. "I call it La Finca, because I made it on a farm in Puerto Rico where there was lots mint and no basil or parmesan."
Alice Waters' pounded almond and mint pasta sauce
Iconic chef Alice Waters shares her recipe for pounded almond and mint pasta sauce.
- Serves 4
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Ingredients
- ½ cup almond kernels
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, diced
- 3 cups mint leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 400 gm dried pasta, cooked in well-salted boiling water until al dente
Method
Main
- 1Blanch almonds for 20 seconds in boiling water. Drain, cool, then slip off the skins.
- 2Pound garlic with a pinch of salt to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add almonds a handful at a time, pounding all the while. Add tomato and pound into the almonds. Transfer nut mixture to a bowl.
- 3Pound mint to a paste using the mortar and pestle with a generous pinch of salt. Add almond mixture and pound with mint. Gradually add oil, pounding continuously and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 4To serve, toss sauce with cooked pasta of your choice and a few tablespoons pasta cooking water. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Notes
Note This recipe is from The Art of Simple Food II ($40, hbk) by Alice Waters, published by Clarkson Potter and reproduced with GT style changes.
Drink Suggestion: Crisp, fresh vermentino. Drink suggestion by Max Allen