PASTA WITH SPICY ALMOND PESTO

3/4 pound fettuccine, uncooked
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste
1/4 cup almond or hazelnut butter
1 scallion, minced
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Large pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.

MEANWHILE, TO MAKE THE PESTO:
In a small skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Fry the sage leaves over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain the sage on paper towels, then chop half of the leaves.

In a medium bowl, combine the chopped sage leaves with the garlic, almond butter, the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, the scallion, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and all but 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese.

TO SERVE:
Toss the drained pasta with the almond pesto; add as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining cheese and the whole sage leaves and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Adapted from source: Food and Wine: An Entire Year of Recipes 2006