Spaghetti with No-Cook Tomato Sauce and Hazelnuts

A fresh summer pasta dish featuring a raw tomato sauce made with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and toasted hazelnuts. This light and flavorful spaghetti is topped with ricotta salata and fresh basil.

4 servings
32 min

Ingredients

  • ½ cup blanched hazelnuts
  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 whole beefsteak tomato
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 2 whole zucchini
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • to taste black pepper
  • 1 ounce ricotta salata
  • shaved

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    Place cherry tomatoes in a large bowl; season with salt.

    2 min

  3. 3.

    Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.

    12 min

  4. 4.

    Meanwhile, puree beefsteak tomato, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup basil, 3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth; add to bowl with salted cherry tomatoes. Add zucchini, spaghetti, pasta cooking liquid, 1/4 cup oil, and remaining 1/2 cup basil leaves and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper.

    5 min

  5. 5.

    Divide pasta among bowls, drizzle with more oil, and top with ricotta salata and remaining hazelnuts.

    3 min