Walnut Basil Pesto with Blistered Tomatoes

Steps

1. Strip the basil leaves from the stems and peel the garlic before you start.
2. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant; tip them onto a cutting board to cool.
3. Finely chop the garlic, then add the toasted walnuts and chop together until fine. Add the basil and keep chopping until it is a coarse paste; scrape into a bowl.
4. Stir the Parmesan, the lemon juice, the black pepper and two-thirds of the olive oil into the basil mixture to make the pesto.
5. Wipe out the skillet, heat the remaining one-third of the olive oil over medium-high heat, and add the cherry tomatoes with the red pepper flakes and the salt.
6. Cook the tomatoes, shaking the pan, for 5 to 7 minutes until blistered and some burst; press a few with a spoon to release their juices.
7. Take the skillet off the heat and fold the pesto into the tomatoes just until streaked through, so the basil stays green.
8. Toss the sauce with hot cooked pasta, loosening with a splash of pasta water if needed.