Tomato, Basil and Almond Pesto Pasta (Pesto alla Trapanese)
Fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and toasted almonds make this fresh pesto that highlights the fresh ingredients. A very quick, easy and delicious dish! Originates from the Italian village of Trapani on the tip of Sicily.
Ingredients
| 4 | tablespoons |
almonds
sliced or slivered, toasted |
|
| 3 | cups |
cherry tomatoes
or grape tomatoes, 12 oucnes |
|
| ⅔ | cup |
basil
freshly packed |
* |
| 1 | clove |
garlic
or to taste, minced or smashed |
|
| ½ | tablespoon |
banana peppers
pickled, finely chopped or minced, or other pickled hot peppers |
|
| 6 | tablespoons |
olive oil, extra-virgin
|
|
| 16 | ounces |
spaghetti
or linguine, or other pasta, 1 pound |
|
| ⅔ | cup |
Parmesan cheese
|
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Into a food processor, add the toasted almonds, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, pickled banana or hot peppers, and salt to taste, process until smooth.
Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Drizzle the olive oil into the processor slowly as the machine is running.
Cook pasta according to the package to the desired level of al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta for a minute then return to the pot.
Add the pesto and ½ cup of parmesan cheese into the pot with cooked pasta and toss together. Add a little bit pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency as desired. (We use about 2 tablespoons usually).
Sprinkle with reserved parmesan on top of pasta. Serve and enjoy!
Note:
This is called bruising the basil to maximize the flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 291g (10.3 oz)
