Pasta a la Trapenese

 

I'm excited to share my version of pasta alla Trapanese, featuring Sicily's amazing tomato pesto. I love the green Genovese-style pesto, but when super-sweet tomatoes are in season, I really believe this is the best pesto.

Simplicity and ease are at the center this recipes, plus it is nourishing, accessible and cost-effective, not to mention incredibly delicious!

Pasta a la Trapenese

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

 
 

Ingredients
Dry bought pasta of your choice such as linguine, rigatoni, casarecce or orecchiette

Basil leaves, to serve (optional)

3 tbsp toasted almond flakes (optional)

Pesto trapanese

70g blanched almonds


2 garlic cloves

80g freshly grated parmigiano

150g fresh ricotta

4–5 semi-dried tomatoes

500g truss tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 large bunch of basil, stalks trimmed

Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. To make the pesto trapanese, place the almonds, garlic and parmigiano in a food processor and whiz until it resembles sand. Add the remaining ingredients and process for 30 seconds or until combined but not perfectly smooth – a little texture is welcome here. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon the pesto into a large serving bowl.

  2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the pasta and cook as per the packet. Once done, use a slotted spoon to lift the pasta straight into the serving bowl, dragging along a little of the pasta cooking water, and mix thoroughly with the pesto.

  3. Serve as is, or top with some basil leaves and toasted almond flakes if you like.

 
THOMAS NEWFIELD