Rigatoni with roast tomato and macadamia pesto

The best things in life are often the simple and uncomplicated. Macadamia, sweet tomato and fresh basil are the highlight flavours in a meal that will please the whole family.

Recipe «Rigatoni with roast tomato and macadamia pesto» presented in category Recipes / Vegetarian, to prepare this dish you will need no more 25 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 600g roma tomatoes, halved, 4 garlic cloves, skin on, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, 1/2 cup macadamias , 1/2 cup vegetarian hard cheese or parmesan, grated, 400g rigatoni, 1/2 bunch basil, leaves chopped, plus extra leaves to serve .

Ingredients:

• 600g roma tomatoes, halved 
• 4 garlic cloves, skin on 
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 
• 1/2 cup macadamias 
• 1/2 cup vegetarian hard cheese or parmesan, grated 
• 400g rigatoni 
• 1/2 bunch basil, leaves chopped, plus extra leaves to serve 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Squeeze excess juice from 500g tomatoes, then place on a baking paper-lined baking tray with garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tbs oil, scatter with thyme and season. Roast for 20 minutes or until tomatoes start to collapse. Add macadamias to the tray and roast for a further 5 minutes or until lightly roasted. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
3. Whiz macadamias in a food processor until finely chopped. Remove garlic from skins and add to the food processor with the vegetarian cheese (or parmesan), roasted tomato, pan juices and remaining 2 tbs oil. Season and whiz until combined, then stir through chopped basil.
4. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water according to packet instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the pan with the tomato pesto and toss to combine.
5. Divide pasta among bowls. Finely chop remaining 100g tomato and scatter over pasta with extra basil leaves to serve.