Pesto alla Trapanese

Name: Pesto alla Trapanese
Prep time: 15 min
Cuisine: Italian (Sicilian)
Ingredients: Ripe tomatoes, halved — 300 g (10.5 oz); Fresh basil leaves — 30 g (1 packed cup); Blanched almonds — 60 g (1/2 cup); Garlic cloves — 2; Pecorino, grated — 40 g (1/3 cup); Extra-virgin olive oil — 80 ml (1/3 cup); Salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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15 min

Prep

0 min

Cook

Ingredients

Ripe tomatoes, halved — 300 g (10.5 oz)
Fresh basil leaves — 30 g (1 packed cup)
Blanched almonds — 60 g (1/2 cup)
Garlic cloves — 2
Pecorino, grated — 40 g (1/3 cup)
Extra-virgin olive oil — 80 ml (1/3 cup)
Salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp)

Method

Combine tomatoes, basil, almonds, garlic and salt in a food processor; pulse to a coarse paste.
Add Pecorino and pulse briefly to combine.
With the processor running, drizzle in olive oil until a thick, slightly chunky sauce forms.
Adjust salt to taste.
Toss with warm pasta immediately, without cooking the sauce.

Cultural Background: A Sicilian cousin of Genovese pesto from Trapani, this uncooked sauce swaps pine nuts and butter-basil for almonds and ripe tomatoes, reflecting Sicily's Mediterranean and North African-influenced pantry, and is traditionally tossed with busiate pasta.

Tips: • Using very ripe, in-season tomatoes gives the best natural sweetness. • Toast the almonds lightly beforehand for extra depth, though this is optional.

Variations: • Add a pinch of dried chilli for a spicier version, common in some Trapanese households. • Substitute pine nuts for almonds for a flavour closer to Genovese pesto.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days in an airtight container; best used fresh due to raw tomato content.

Reheating: Not cooked; stir into warm pasta off the heat. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 150 kcal, 3 g protein, 13 g fat, 5 g carbohydrate per 30 g serving. FAQs How is this different from Genovese pesto? It uses raw tomatoes and almonds instead of pine nuts, and is uncooked and lighter, reflecting Sicilian rather than Ligurian ingredients. What pasta is it traditionally served with? Busiate, a twisted Sicilian pasta shape, is the classic pairing.

FAQs: How is this different from Genovese pesto? It uses raw tomatoes and almonds instead of pine nuts, and is uncooked and lighter, reflecting Sicilian rather than Ligurian ingredients. What pasta is it traditionally served with? Busiate, a twisted Sicilian pasta shape, is the classic pairing.