ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH ROASTED AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES PESTO SAUCE

Note: You can make this recipe vegan by using nutritional yeast flakes or Vegan Parmesan cheese instead of regular cheese.

SUN-DRIED PESTO:

Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Place the nuts on a sheet pan in a single layer for 10-15 minutes or until fragrant and lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
Place the sun dried tomatoes and the oil they’re packed in along with the nuts,cheese,garlic, salt, pepper, white wine vinegar and tomato purée into a food processor. Pulse a few times until chopped well.
With the motor running, steam in the olive oil, scrape down the sides once or twice if needed, until the pesto has a uniform, chunky consistency.
Store it in a air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit. Grease the pan with some extra virgin olive oil.
Toss together, garlic, oil and salt. Spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes until shriveled and caramelised.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and stir occasionally then cook pasta according to package directions, but check for doneness a minute or two before the suggested cooking time.
Meanwhile, combine pesto, cheese, salt and pepper in pot.
Drain, reserving half cup pasta cooking water. Toss the pasta with pesto mixture. Add half of reserved pasta water. Add more water if necessary to loosen sauce. Add in your baked cherry tomatoes and still in the basil.
Serve immediately.