Pesto alla Trapanese: Pasta with Tomatoes, Almonds, and Mint Recipe
Pesto alla Trapanese is a fresh and vibrant Sicilian pasta sauce made with ripe plum tomatoes, toasted almonds, fragrant mint, and garlic, blended together and tossed with pasta. This simple yet flavorful recipe highlights the sweet and herbal notes of the ingredients, topped with salty pecorino cheese for a delightful Italian meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, Sicilian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 1 pound plum tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 1/2 cups packed mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Nuts
- 1/3 cup blanched, slivered almonds
Dairy
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
Pantry
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound busiate, fusilli lunghi or spaghetti pasta
Instructions
- Prepare the Tomatoes: Heat a large covered pot of water to a boil on high. Core the tomatoes and cut a shallow X into the bottom of each one to help with peeling later.
- Toast Almonds: In a small dry skillet, toast the blanched, slivered almonds over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Blanch Tomatoes: Place the tomatoes in the boiling water and cook until their skins start to curl, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes to a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove the pot of water from heat but keep the water for later use.
- Peel and Seed Tomatoes: Once cool, use a paring knife to peel off the loosened tomato skins. Cut each tomato in half, remove the seeds, and chop the tomato flesh finely.
- Make the Pesto: In a food processor, pulse the toasted almonds and garlic until finely chopped. Add the mint leaves, chopped tomatoes, salt (1 1/4 teaspoons), and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon). Pulse until the mint is finely chopped, scraping down the bowl as needed. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. The pesto can be stored in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Cook Pasta: Reheat the reserved pot of water to a boil again. Add salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- Toss and Serve: Drain the cooked pasta and toss it with the prepared pesto. Sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese before serving for a delicious and authentic Sicilian dish.
Notes
- Use ripe plum tomatoes for the best flavor and texture.
- To save time, you can toast almonds in advance and keep them stored airtight.
- This pesto can be refrigerated up to 4 days when covered with a thin layer of olive oil to preserve freshness.
- Busiate or fusilli lunghi are traditional pasta choices, but spaghetti works well too.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste after mixing the pesto to suit your preference.
Keywords: Pesto alla Trapanese, Sicilian Pasta, Tomato Almond Pesto, Mint Pesto Pasta, Vegetarian Italian Recipe
