SAUCE

• 1 cup walnuts, soaked in water for at least 2 hours and up to overnight

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 5 garlic cloves, chopped

• Pinch of kosher salt

• ⅓ cup water

• Zest and juice of one lemon

1. Put a big pot of salted pasta water on the stove and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, make the creamy vegan walnut sauce: In a medium skillet, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt, and sauté until softened and golden. Add water to the pan, and deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape the pan. Stir for a couple minutes.

3. Transfer onion mixture to a blender, and add walnuts, lemon juice, and zest. Blend until smooth, adding more salt to taste. Set aside (or store in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)

4. Make the pasta! Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.

5. Meanwhile, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the cherry tomatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes just start to burst (about 3 minutes or so.) If the pasta isn't yet ready, turn off the heat so they don't overcook.

6. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, use a slotted spoon to transfer noodles directly into the pan with tomatoes. Add a few big scoops of sauce, along with 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Use tongs to toss it very well until the sauce lightly coats each strand of pasta. This may take a little while--just keep tossing!

7. Divide between bowls, making sure each bowl gets topped with some of the burst tomatoes. Top with more lemon zest, torn basil, red chili flakes, and a big pinch of flaky salt.