Dinner Tonight: Linguine with Red Pesto and Corn

Take down the last of the season's tomatoes in dinner tonight.

Did your CSA, or neighbor, or tomato plant dump its last tomatoes of the season on you? We know you might be tired of them by this point in the season, but hey, savor them, okay? Tomato season comes but once a year. For a fresh take on your favorite, sometimes weary-making fruit, try them in this Linguine with Red Pesto and Corn—and send off summer with a bang.

Grocery List

(Organized by area of the market)

Serves 4

4 ripe plum tomatoes
3 ears fresh corn
1 bunch basil
1 tablespoon celery leaves from 1 bunch celery
1 tablespoon parsley leaves from 1 bunch parsley
1/2 cup almonds
1 pound dried pasta
Parmesan (optional, for serving)

We are assuming you already have garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and olive oil. If not, add those to your list, too!

Overview: 

About 30 minutes before dinner, bring two large pots of water to boil. In one, cook the pasta until al dente; in the other, blanch the tomatoes (about a minute, until their skins split). Drain both pots and plunge the contents of each into ice baths to cool. 

With 10 minutes until dinner, shuck the corn and slice the kernels off the cobs. Remove and discard the tomatoes' skins and seeds, and blend the flesh in a food processor with all of ingredients except the pasta, the corn, and the Parmesan. Toss together the cold pasta, sauce, and raw corn and shake your fist in triumph! Garnish with Parmesan and additional parsley. Dinner is served.

Photo by Posie Harwood