Ingredients:
3/4 pound fettuccine
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste
1/4 cup almond or hazelnut butter
1 scallion, minced
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Large pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1.5 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Fry the sage leaves over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain the sage leaves on paper towels, then chop half of the leaves.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chopped sage leaves with the garlic, almond butter, the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, the scallion, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and all but 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Toss the drained pasta with the almond pesto; add as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese and the whole sage leaves and serve.