Pasta with Spicy Almond Pesto

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sage leaves
• 1 large garlic clove, mashed to a paste
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 scallion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
• large pinch crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 cup of olive oil until until shimmering. Fry the sage leaves over moderate heat, turning occasionally until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop half of the leaves. Combine the chopped sage, garlic, almond butter, remaining 1/4 cup of oil, scallion, zest, red pepper and all but 2 tablespoons of cheese. Toss the pasta with the pesto, adding the pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper, then top with the remaining cheese and whole sage leaves and serve.