The TRAPANESE PESTO or “agghiata trapanisa” in dialect, is a classic condiment of Sicilian cuisine, more precisely from the city of Trapani. It’s an extremely fresh, easy and super quick sauce in which the absolute protagonists are the tomatoes, the garlic (preferably Nubia red garlic, but common garlic is fine if you can’t find it), the almonds, the basil and the pecorino.
In this pesto the crunch of the almonds, the aroma of the basil, the delicacy of the tomato and the saltiness of the pecorino, combined to perfection, create an incomparable blend of flavors that will bring all the tastes of the Mediterranean to your palate.
Traditionally used to dress BUSIATE WITH TRAPANESE PESTO, or as a condiment for babbaluci cu l’agghia (land snails), it is also perfect for dressing couscous, rice salads or for spreading on crostini for appetizers.
Fresh and fragrant, Trapanese pesto is a hymn to the simple, genuine and sunny cuisine of southern Italy.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 1.1 lb Piccadilly tomatoes
- 1 oz peeled almonds
- 1 clove garlic (preferably Nubia red garlic)
- 1/2 cup (packed) basil
- to taste coarse salt
- 3 1/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 oz Pecorino cheese
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE TRAPANESE PESTO
- 1 Pot
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Food processor
Trapanese Pesto Procedure
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Then make a shallow cross cut on the surface and cook them in boiling water for 1 minute or until you see the skin around the incision beginning to lift.
Drain them into ice water to stop the cooking and let them cool. Once cool, peel them, cut them in half and remove the seeds and excess juices.
In a food processor or, even better, in a mortar, place the peeled almonds, the garlic (the traditional recipe uses much more) and some coarse salt. Coarsely chop everything. Add the basil leaves and, using short pulses of the processor, chop them as well without letting them heat up too much.
Then add the well-drained tomatoes, the oil and pulse again, adding more oil if the mixture is too thick.
Finally add the pecorino and mix until you obtain a coarse, homogeneous mixture.
Taste and, if necessary, adjust the salt. Your Trapanese pesto is ready to be enjoyed.
STORAGE
If you don’t use the Trapanese pesto immediately (for example to dress pasta), transfer it to a container, cover it with oil and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
VARIATION
You can make this sauce entirely cold, avoiding blanching the tomatoes. Provided you buy them ripe enough and still remove the seeds and excess juices.
