Pesto alla Trapanese with Fresh Tomatoes

This simple Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto) is made from fresh tomatoes, basil, almonds, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese (I add Pecorino too). It comes together in minutes in the food processor. Serve with your favorite pasta or grilled bread! Makes ~ 2 cups.

Typically upstaged by its famous cousin Pesto alla Genovese, this spunky, Sicilian spin-off is one to watch. If you love fresh pesto, and crave the classic combination of fresh tomatoes and basil, pesto alla Trapanese is a must-try “no-cook” pasta sauce anyone can make.

What You Need To Know:

First, the ingredients, especially the tomatoes, MUST be in season. This is non-negotiable unless you want sour pesto. We’ve all had a January tomato.

Second, do not mess with the ingredient ratios. For example, if you add more tomatoes, the pesto will become watery. Omit the cheese, and the sauce will lack flavor.

Other than that, you hands-on involvement is minimal. Just throw the ingredients into a food processor or blender, stream in your olive oil, and wait for it to become nice and creamy.

How To Store It.

Pesto is one of those things you want to make ahead. Store it in a glass with a thin layer of olive oil on top, and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to bring it to room temperature before using.

Good to Know: Pesto alla Trapanese doesn’t oxidize as quickly as regular basil pesto. The acidity from the tomatoes naturally preserves the color, while the tomatoes themselves buffer the basil from the heat of the blender blade.

Pesto alla Trapanese with Fresh Tomatoes

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• Author: Emilie Raffa
• Prep Time: 2 minutes
• Total Time: 2 minutes
• Yield: 2 Cups 1x
• Category: Pasta Sauce
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This simple Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto) is made from fresh tomatoes, basil, almonds, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese (I add Pecorino too). It comes together in minutes in the food processor. This pesto will keep for 2-4 days in the fridge and up to 2 months if frozen. Serve with your favorite pasta or grilled bread! Recipe adapted with changes (I do a cheese blend and omit the red pepper flakes) from Giadzy.com.

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Ingredients

• 70 g (about 1/2 cup) blanched, skinless almonds 
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 280 g (1 pint) ripe cherry or grape tomatoes 
• 60 g (about 1 cup tightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 100 g (scant 1/2 cup) olive oil
• 35– 40 g (about 1/2 cup) freshly grated, packed Pecorino Romano & Parmesan cheese (50/50 blend)

A Few Things…

• Some recipes call for toasting the almonds- I don’t. I prefer a mild almond flavor. However, feel free to toast if you prefer.
• Also: I do not blanch, peel or remove the skin on my tomatoes. It’s perfectly fine to blend them whole, skin and all.
• The color of your olive oil will impact the color of this pesto. If it’s dark, your pesto will be dark. The olive oil I use has a beautiful golden (not green-ish) color. Other recommended brands: Lucini, California Olive Ranch and La Tourangelle. 

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Instructions

• In a food processor or high powered blender: pulse the almonds, garlic and salt together until finely chopped.
• Add the tomatoes and basil; process until blended.
• With the machine running, slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify the sauce (you may or may not use all of it; it depends on the consistency). The texture should be loose, but creamy.
• Scrape the pesto into a small bowl. Stir in the cheese. Taste and correct with salt, if needed. Do not be afraid to add more salt and/or cheese as needed; it really depends on the flavor of your tomatoes. 

To Serve: Toss with fresh homemade pasta or dried pasta, such as fusilli and busiate.

To Store Pesto: transfer the pesto into a small jar. Cover with a slick of olive oil on top to prevent browning. Refrigerate 2-4 days. Bring to room temperature before using. To freeze, portion the pesto into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen solid, transfer to zip top bags and freeze up to 2 months. 

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