Pesto alla Trapanese is a Sicilian variation on the classic basil pesto sauce. It’s made with a few different ingredients like almonds and tomatoes. But is just as tasty and easy to make as the original. Making it a great addition to your weekday dinners.
When most people think of pesto they tend to envision a green sauce made with basil i.e. Pesto alla Genevese. But you really shouldn’t think of pesto as one singular recipe, but rather as a method for making sauce.
Why?
Well, it’s because the word pesto is derived from the Genovese word pestâ which means “to pound”. Which is a reference to the fact that traditionally a pesto sauce would be made from ingredients that were pounded in a mortar & pestle. So really any combination of ingredients that are pounded together could be considered a pesto.
For example, you have pesto russo which is mainly made with sun-dried tomatoes. There’s pesto alla calabrese which uses red peppers and ricotta. And of course, there’s today’s recipe for pesto alla trapanese which includes almonds and fresh tomatoes.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- Uses: The most obvious way to use this pesto sauce is to mix it with pasta. But there are other creative ways to use it. For example, it can be added to soups like minestrone. Serve as a substitute for red sauce on pizza. Utilized as a spread on sandwiches. Or simply as a dip for veggies and crackers. It’s really up to you.
- Vegan option: Want to make this sauce vegan? No problem, all you have to do is omit the cheese. However, keep in mind that cheese is the main source of salt in the sauce. So you’ll likely have to add a greater amount of salt at the end. To do that simply add a pinch of salt at a time, mix it in with the sauce, taste it, and repeat until it is to your liking.
- Tomato skins: Peeling the tomatoes is an optional step for this recipe. You see, while they can have a tough texture if they aren’t removed, this is only an issue if you plan on making this sauce with a motor and pestle. If you plan on making the sauce in a food processor then it really isn’t necessary. As the act of processing the tomatoes should break down the skins enough that you won’t notice them. So feel free to skip that step if you want to make it easier on yourself.
- Storage: You can store this pesto sauce in your fridge for up to 1 week if you don’t plan on using it immediately. Just keep it secured in a jar (preferably glass) with a tight lid.
Other Pasta Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Orecchiette with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
- Penne Arrabbiata
- Penne With Vodka Sauce
- Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
- Tallarines Verdes.
Pesto alla Trapanese Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 seconds
Servings: 2 cups worth of pesto
Ingredients
300g of cherry or grape tomatoes
2 Garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 Teaspoon of salt, plus more to taste
½ Cup of peeled almonds
1 Cup of basil leaves, washed and dried
¼ Cup of pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, freshly grated
¼ Cup of extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Blanch & peel the tomatoes (optional): Fill a medium-sized pot ¾ of the way with water. Set it over high heat and let the water come to a low boil. While that’s happening get out a medium-sized bowl and fill it halfway with ice water. Once the water in your pot is hot dump in the tomatoes and let them cook for roughly 20 to 30 seconds or until their skins begin to crack. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the pot and transfer them to your bowl of ice water. Once the tomatoes are cool to the touch you can take them out and remove their skins.
- Process the ingredients: Get out a food processor (or you can use a mortar & pestle and make this the old fashioned way) and place the salt and garlic in it. Then process/grind these two ingredients until it forms a smooth paste. Next, add in the almonds and process/grind with the garlic and salt until they have a texture similar to bread crumbs.
Finally, add in the tomatoes and basil leaves, and process/grind these ingredients until everything is broken down into a rough paste. 
- Finish the pesto sauce: Transfer the processed/ground ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Add the cheese, pour in the ¼ cup of olive oil, and crack a little black pepper into the bowl. Stir all of the ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated. Finally taste the pesto and add in additional salt and pepper if you feel it needs it.
- Transfer your pesto alla trapanese into a jar and store in your fridge until needed.
- Use the pesto with pasta: Cook whatever pasta you like in a pot of boiling water until it is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water then drain the cooked pasta in a colander. Transfer the cooked pasta to a mixing bowl and add roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons of pesto for every 2oz. of dried pasta you have cooked.
Add a splash (roughly 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water to the bowl and use a spoon to mix everything together. The starch in the pasta water will help to thicken the sauce. So keep mixing and adding splashes of pasta water until the pesto sauce becomes silky and coats every piece of pasta. You most likely won’t need the whole 1 cup of pasta water.
- Portion the pasta to individual plates and enjoy immediately.
Pesto alla Trapanese Recipe
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 300 g of cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 Garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 Teaspoon of salt plus more to taste
- ½ Cup of peeled almonds
- 1 Cup of basil leaves washed and dried
- ¼ Cup of pecorino romano or parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ¼ Cup of extra virgin olive oil
- Black pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Blanch & peel the tomatoes (optional): Fill a medium-sized pot ¾ of the way with water. Set it over high heat and let the water come to a low boil. While that’s happening get out a medium-sized bowl and fill it halfway with ice water. Once the water in your pot is hot dump in the tomatoes and let them cook for roughly 20 to 30 seconds or until their skins begin to crack. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the pot and transfer them to your bowl of ice water. Once the tomatoes are cool to the touch you can take them out and remove their skins.
- Process the ingredients: Get out a food processor (or you can use a motor & pestle and make this the old fashioned way) and place the salt and garlic in it. Then process/grind these two ingredients until it forms a smooth paste. Next, add in the almonds and process/grind with the garlic and salt until they have a texture similar to bread crumbs. Finally, add in the tomatoes and basil leaves, and process/grind these ingredients until everything is broken down into a rough paste.
- Finish the pesto sauce: Transfer the processed/ground ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Add the cheese, pour in the ¼ cup of olive oil, and crack a little black pepper into the bowl. Stir all of the ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated. Finally taste the pesto and add in additional salt and pepper if you feel it needs it.
- Transfer your pesto alla trapanese into a jar and store in your fridge until needed.
- Use the pesto with pasta: Cook whatever pasta you like in a pot of boiling water until it is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water then drain the cooked pasta in a colander. Transfer the cooked pasta to a mixing bowl and add roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons of pesto for every 2oz. of dried pasta you have cooked. Add a splash (roughly 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water to the bowl and use a spoon to mix everything together. The starch in the pasta water will help to thicken the sauce. So keep mixing and adding splashes of pasta water until the pesto sauce becomes silky and coats every piece of pasta. You most likely won’t need the whole 1 cup of pasta water.
- Portion the pasta to individual plates and enjoy immediately.
