Pesto Trapanese Recipe (Pesto alla Siciliano)

This tasty Pesto Trapanese Recipe of blended roasted tomatoes, cheese, herbs, and almonds makes the most amazing sauce for pasta. I would venture to say this is every bit as good as a typical basil pesto and can be used in the exact same way.

As an Italian, I love pasta tossed in simple-to-prepare full-flavored sauces. There’s just nothing like it. If you’re the same, then you must try my Pasta E Ceci or Lasagna Bolognese.

Pesto Trapanese

Pesto Trapanese, also known as pesto alla Siciliano, is a simple sauce consisting of tomatoes, almonds, basil, mint, cheese, and oil. It can be used in a salad, on a sandwich or chicken, or as the main sauce in pasta. It can be chunky and made in a pestle and mortar, but I prefer it to be smooth, which results in an extremely creamy, cheesy sauce.

The sauce was found in Trapani, Sicily, hence the name pesto alla Trapanese, in the 16th-17th century. The town is located on the west side of Sicily, on the Mediterranean Sea. The port of Trapani would receive frequent travelers from Genovese boats coming home from the Orient. These boats brought a pesto-like sauce, which was eventually tweaked in Trapani with the addition of fresh tomatoes and almonds. It essentially became their own version of pesto Genovese.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Tomatoes — This recipe will work with any fresh, in-season tomato. You can also use well-drained canned tomatoes.
• Garlic – You can use regular raw garlic, roasted garlic, or garlic confit in this.
• Herbs — The classic herbs to use are fresh basil and mint. You can also use dry herbs if that’s all you have.
• Cheese — Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano is best. Some recipes also use drained whole milk ricotta cheese from cows or sheep. Another option is ricotta salata.
• Nuts — Almonds are the traditional nut, but pine nuts will also work. Make sure the almonds are skinned.
• Oil – Any good extra virgin olive oil will work.
• Vinegar – This is optional, but a hint of balsamic vinegar will take this sauce over the top.
• Pasta – Any pasta with many nooks and crannies to sop up the sauce is best.

How to Make Pesto Trapanese

Core the tomatoes, slice them in half, and place them cut side up on a rack over a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

Drizzle on 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake on a middle rack in the oven at 475° for 30 minutes.

Set them to the side to cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, add the almonds to a large non-stick or stainless-steel skillet and cook over low-medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, constantly stirring with a spoon or by flipping the pan just until about half of them are lightly browned. Set them aside.

Next, add the tomatoes, almonds, and cheese to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Next, add the ½ cups of olive oil, basil, mint, garlic, and optional balsamic vinegar, and blend on high until completely smooth with no specks of herbs. Set it to the side.

Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to its package.

Drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl or pot along with ½ the sauce. Toss with ¼ cups of finely grated pecorino Romano.

Serve with additional grated pecorino Romano cheese

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished being made.

How to Store: Cover the pasta, and the sauce will hold in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The sauce itself will freeze well for up to 6 months.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pasta to a medium-sized saucepot, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, and heat over low to medium heat while continually gently stirring with a spoon until hot. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Chef Notes + Tips

• Use 1 tablespoon of dry basil and 1 teaspoon of dry mint instead of fresh.
• Any olive oil that is expeller or cold pressed, bottled at the source, organic, and on sale is what I buy.
• A food process or mortar and pestle may also be used.
• I prefer this sauce to be completely smooth, but it can be chunky.
• You can use the stems of fresh basil or mint as long as they are tender. Fresh herb stems have excellent flavor.
• This recipe makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta, which serves about 8 people.

More Pasta Recipes

• Salmon Pasta
• Pasta alla Norma
• Spaghetti Carbonara
• Pasta al Limone
• Pasta Puttanesca

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Pesto Trapanese Recipe (Pesto alla Siciliano)

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4.84 from 6 votes

This tasty Pesto Trapanese Recipe of blended roasted tomatoes, cheese, herbs, and almonds makes the most amazing sauce for pasta.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 3 pounds fresh tomatoes
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup skinned almonds
• 8 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano + more for garnish
• 1 cup packed basil leaves, about 45-50 leaves
• 6-8 fresh mint leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 pound pasta
• coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

• Core the tomatoes, slice them in half, and place them cut side up on a rack over a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
• Drizzle on 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake on a middle rack in the oven at 475° for 30 minutes.
• Set them to the side to cool to room temperature.
• In the meantime, add the almonds to a large non-stick or stainless-steel skillet and cook over low-medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes while constantly stirring using a spoon or by flipping the pan just until about half of them are lightly browned. Set them aside.
• Next, add the tomatoes, almonds, and cheese to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
• Next, add in the ½ cup of olive oil, basil, mint, garlic, and optional balsamic vinegar, and blend on high until completely smooth with no specks of any herbs. Set it to the side.
• Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to its package.
• Drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl or pot along with ½ the sauce and toss with a ¼ cup of finely grated pecorino Romano.
• Serve with additional grated pecorino Romano cheese. There will be enough sauce left over for another pound of cooked pasta. However, I usually freeze the remaining sauce.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished being made.

How to Store: Cover the pasta, and the sauce will hold in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The sauce itself will freeze well for up to 6 months.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pasta to a medium-sized saucepot, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, and heat over low to medium heat while continually gently stirring with a spoon until hot. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Use 1 tablespoon of dry basil and 1 teaspoon of dry mint instead of fresh.

Any olive oil that is expeller or cold pressed, bottled at the source, organic, and on sale is what I buy.

A food process or mortar and pestle may also be used.

I prefer this sauce to be completely smooth, but it can be chunky.

You can use the stems of fresh basil or mint as long as they are tender. Fresh herb stems have excellent flavor.

This recipe makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta, which serves about 8 people.

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 21gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 353mgPotassium: 671mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1725IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 376mgIron: 2mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Chef Billy Parisi