Sicilian Pesto alla Trapanese with Almonds and Tomatoes
This easy Sicilian Pesto alla Trapanese has only 6 ingredients and is prepared in just 15 minutes! It's made with almonds, tomatoes, basil and tastes amazing tossed with pasta, smeared on bread, or paired with grilled meats, fish, and vegetables.
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Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 574kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh tomatoes seeds removed
- ½ cup fresh blanched or skinned almonds sliced or slivered work
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for storing
- ¾ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Place the garlic and ½ teaspoon salt into the bowl of a food processor, and process until it's finely chopped, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, almonds, basil and olive oil, then pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Add the Pecorino Romano cheese and continue pulsing until incorporated. Do not blend until smooth - leave the pesto coarse. Taste, and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Toss with hot pasta or transfer to a jar or container, drizzle olive oil over the top and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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Notes
- The almonds should not be toasted, however if they are not fresh (meaning they are a little soft or lacking crunch), they can be crisped in a 250 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. Do not let them turn golden in color or it will affect the flavor. Cool to room temperature before using.
- Remove the seeds and extra liquid from the tomatoes to avoid the pesto being too watery.
- Don't over blend the pesto so that it's smooth. Pulse in 1-second increments and leave it coarse for a better texture.
- Sicilians do not add black pepper to their pesto. For an extra bite and some heat, add red pepper flakes (peperoncino) instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 694mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 932IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 2mg