Tagliatelle with almond and tomato sauce

When tomatoes are in season, I think the very best way to showcase their bright, fresh flavour is to make a raw tomato sauce. A chunky sauce would be great tossed with a bold pasta shape like penne, but a smooth, silky sauce is much better suited to a pasta like tagliatelle that you can twist around your fork.

There are hundreds of very similar, traditional Italian recipes for spaghetti or tagliatelle served with a chunky, tomato and almond sauce that is almost pesto-like in consistency. I’ve given the classic a modern twist by soaking the blanched almonds before making the sauce so that they lend it a light, creamy consistency.

I like to top my pasta with fresh basil and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan, but pecorino and toasted almond flakes or pine nuts would also be great to add a bit more saltiness and a bit more texture.