Pasta Madness

Tomato & Almond Pesto (Pesto alla Trapanese)

Serve with:

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (85 grams) blanched almonds
  • 1½ pounds (680 grams; about 8 medium) ripe plum tomatoes like Roma
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 packed cup (25 grams) fresh basil leaves
  • 1½ ounces (40 grams) finely grated Pecorino Sardo or Romano
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Spread the almonds on a small foil-lined sheet pan. Toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, watching closely, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. With a paring knife, score the bottoms of the tomatoes with a small X, just piercing the skin. Drop them into the water and cook until the skin near the X starts to loosen, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath. When the tomatoes are cool, peel away the skins, then cut them in half and scoop out the seeds. Pat the flesh dry and cut into large pieces.
  3. Add the garlic, almonds, and a pinch of salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the nuts are well chopped and gravel-like. Add the basil, cheese, and tomatoes. Pulse in short bursts until the ingredients are combined but the sauce still has texture. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oil. Season to taste, adding more cheese if you’d like. Let the pesto stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  4. Cook your pasta of choice to your liking and transfer it directly to a large, heatproof (preferably metal) mixing bowl (or drain it first and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta cooking water). Spoon most of the pesto over the pasta and toss well until luscious and creamy. Add more pesto and loosen with cooking water as needed until the pasta is well coated.
  5. Divide among bowls and serve, finished with more oil and grated cheese. Reserve any remaining pesto for another use.

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