Summer is the best time to use fresh tomatoes, as they’re at the peak of their season. And there’s no better pairing with tomatoes than pasta, so we used a flavorful whole wheat fusilli that is as fun to eat as it is healthy. The subtle smokiness of almonds adds unexpected and effortless depth to this simple and fresh pasta dish, topped with nutty Pecorino for a special finish. Cook, relax, and enjoy!

What you’ll need:
12–16 oz red vine tomatoes
1 clove garlic
¼ oz fresh oregano
16 oz whole wheat fusilli
1 oz smoked salted almonds
1 oz Pecorinocoarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

Equipment:
large pot
microplane or grater

Recipe steps:

1. Prep tomatoes
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roughly chop tomatoes and place in a large bowl.

2. Marinate tomatoes
   Peel and finely chop garlic and add to bowl; season with ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds pepper. Pick oregano from stems and roughly chop any big leaves. Add to bowl of tomatoes along with 3 tablespoons oil. Toss to coat and set aside to marinate.

3. Cook pasta
   Cook ½ the pasta (8 oz) in boiling water until al dente, 7–9 minutes; drain.

4. Prep almonds
   Meanwhile, roughly chop almonds.

5. Grate Pecorino
   Finely grate Pecorino.

6. Finish
   Add cooked pasta and half of almonds to tomato mixture and toss to combine. Top with Pecorino, remaining almonds, and a drizzle of oil. Enjoy!

See what else is cooking this week!