No Cream Here

I love heavy cream and in my culinary ventures I have found that it can NEVER negatively affect a dish.  From pasta to pastry cream to coffee...cream is always good.  Now, the bad side- it's like 40% fat.  I love it in all sauces, especially on pasta so I was enticed to see that Gourmet had a recipe for a pasta dish that was covered in a thick white sauce absent the cream.   For the base, they call for blanched almonds, garlic, and water pureed together into a paste.  yes, it sounds very unusual, but the recipe did not disappoint; it was great and there was no pungent almond flavor that could be odd.  I must say, that we did not have all of the fresh herbs it called for so I added some red pepper flakes and garlic pepper spice blend to kick it up, but when herbs are plentiful I'm loading it up.  

PASTA IN GARLIC-ALMOND SAUCE

SERVES6 (MAIN COURSE) OR 8 (SIDE DISH)

• ACTIVE TIME:20 MIN
 
• START TO FINISH:20 MIN

• 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds (4 oz)
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 lb cavatappi or other small tubular pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virigin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 (10-oz) package frozen peas
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus additional for serving
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup basil leaves (torn if large), divided
• 1/3 cup mint leaves (torn if large), divided
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds (2 oz)

• Purée blanched almonds and garlic with water and 1/4 tsp salt in a blender until smooth.
• Cook cavatappi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until almost al dente. Reserve 3 cups pasta-cooking water and drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium heat until foam subsides. Add almond purée and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups reserved cooking water, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp butter until melted. Add pasta and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (sauce will be thin), 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheese and lemon juice and stir until combined well. Remove from heat and stir in half of basil and mint and salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta in bowls topped with chopped almonds, remaining herbs, and additional cheese.