loveSicily

Lovesicily Pesto alla Trapanese

Today the world celebrates the 4th Annual International Day of Italian Cuisine and this year the chosen recipe is Pesto alla Genovese.
Professional chefs across the world will be making pesto as a way to recognize the immense culinary influence of Italian food in the rest of the globe.

But I am Sicilian......so all you are getting from me today is my recipe for Pesto alla Trapanese.

LoveSicily Pesto alla Trapanese

Ingredients

100g shelled, unskinned almonds
50g shelled, toasted unskinned almonds
50g shelled, toasted almonds with the skin on
two/ three handful of fresh basil leaves
6 vine-ripened tomatoes
2 tbsp finely grated caciocavallo or pecorino cheese
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
400g pasta

Rinse the tomatoes and basil leaves and pat them dry. If you do not have a wooden pestle and marble mortar, drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food processor bowl followed by almonds, basil leaves and grated cheese. Blend for a minute or more to a fine puree; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.
If possible, with the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the puree into a thick pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Scrape all the pesto into a big pan. Cook the pasta al dente, drain briefly and drop onto the pesto. Toss quickly to coat the pasta, sprinkle more cheese all over, and toss again.

Written on
January 17, 2011
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