Nurturing her two acre farm in Washington state, Shaye Elliott (@shayeelliott) and her husband Stuart have cultivated a life to live off their land. From the produce that they tend in their gardens, to the many chickens, ducks, hogs, sheep, and dairy cows that they raise on the farm, theirs is a life nurtured by their hands and hearts. An avid and talented cook, Shaye prepares stunning meals incorporating flavors cultivated on the farm and shares her recipes with her cooking community, teaches cooking classes, hosts a podcast, has written five cookbooks, and raises her family all from her charming farmhouse kitchen. 

After a trip to Sicily, Shaye was determined to find the flavors she’d experienced on that sun kissed island once more. Her search came to an end when she found Bona Furtuna. 

SPAGHETTI WITH SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO AND TOMATO CONFIT

INGREDIENTS

For the Pesto

▢ 1/2 cup Olive Oil
▢ 6 Sun Dried Tomatoes 
▢ 1/4 cup Almonds 
▢ 1 clove garlic
▢ 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 

For the Tomato Confit

▢ 36 cherry tomatoes, halved
▢ 1/2 cup Olive Oil 
▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
▢ large pinch of sea salt 
▢ large pinch of black pepper
▢ 6 servings pasta, Linguini or Spaghetti
▢ toasted Almonds, chopped finely, for serving
▢ finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving 

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender. Blend until well combined (it can be as homogenous or as roughly chopped as you'd like). Set aside.
2. Combine the tomato confit ingredients in a small baking dish. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.
3. Heat up a large pot of water to a boil. Add in 2 very large pinches of salt.
4. In a large frying pan, add in the tomato confit and half of the pesto. Heat it up over medium heat until the mixture begins to sizzle. Add in a few tablespoons of olive oil.
5. While the sauce is warming up, add the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Strain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
6. When the pasta is cooked, add it into the frying pan with the tomato sauce. Gently toss the mixture together, coating the noodles with the sauce. Add a cup of the pasta water into the sauce and allow the mixture to gentle cook for just a minute more. If desired, add a tablespoon or two of tomato sauce for a thicker sauce.
7. Serve the pasta, topped with a large pinch of toasted almonds and Parmigiano Reggiano.