Fettuccine with Lemon & Blistered Tomatoes

  • 1 cup pine nuts
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • Zest and juice of 2-3 lemons, to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 lb fettuccine
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated pecorino romano
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

 

Toast pine nuts in large, dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown and aromatic, stirring constantly.  Remove pine nuts from skillet and set aside.  In same skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over med-high heat, add cherry tomatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to blister, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove tomatoes from skillet and set aside.  In same skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion until almost translucent, about 7-8 minutes, adding garlic in last minute of cooking.  Add lemon zest and juice, bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in remaining olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste.  Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook fettuccine to al dente; drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water.  Whisk pasta water into lemon mixture.  Toss drained pasta with lemon mixture, along with pine nuts, pecorino romano, parsley, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper as needed and top with blistered cherry tomatoes before serving.