After starting the water to boil, I started toasting the pine nuts over medium heat. They burn pretty easily so you have to keep an eye on them, and usually it is the toasty smell that lets me know they are done.
One of those Pinterest/Internet tips that really works is placing a single layer of grape tomatoes/grapes/olives on a cutting board and pressing down with a flat lid to keep them steady, then cutting horizontally to slice those round little foodstuffs in half. I did that to a handful of grape tomatoes (I wish I had cut up a few more, actually).
Then I just pan-roasted them over medium-high heat, with a little olive oil and just a tiny bit of garlic salt.
Meanwhile I grated up some Parmesan using my little hedgie cheese grater. 3/4 cup. I didn't have any Pecorino Romano so it was all Parm.
Then I added the grated cheese to the thawed pesto and blended it together. It was a little thick, so I squeezed some lemon juice into it, which not only loosened it, it added a nice brightness.
After draining the pasta, I added a dollop of the pesto, and the pan-roasted tomatoes, and folded together.
Just a little more grated Parmesan, and then the toasted pine nuts. It tasted a bit like summer returned.
Orecchiette Pasta with Pesto, Pan-Roasted Tomatoes, and Toasted Pine Nuts
Orecchiette Pasta
1 batch pesto
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/4-1/2 cup pine nuts
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Parmesan
Start the water for the pasta to boil, and prepare to the package directions.
Toast pine nuts over medium heat, stirring regularly and watching carefully. They burn easily. Once they are fragrant, they are usually done. Remove from heat.
Slice the grape tomatoes, and add to a pan with olive oil that has been pre-heated over medium-high heat. Add a touch of garlic salt to taste. Don't over-stir, you don't want the tomatoes to break down. Pan-roast to desired texture.
Drain the pasta and add the pesto and tomatoes, folding together carefully so you don't breakdown the tomatoes.
Garnish with more grated Parm and toasted pine nuts.
This is the recipe I used for the pesto: