Busiate al Pesto
Trapanese
Sicilian pasta with tomato & almond pesto
Twisted pasta catches a coarse pesto of ripe tomatoes, almonds, basil and garlic, served warm with the sauce left uncooked.
Twists of pasta with tomato & almond pestoTomatoes, almonds,
a pesto from Trapani.
Pesto trapanese combines tomatoes and almonds with basil, garlic and olive oil. Unlike a simmered tomato sauce, it is mixed raw, keeping the tomatoes juicy and the almonds slightly textured. Busiate, the long twists of pasta associated with western Sicily, hold the sauce in their curves.
Look for this pairing around Trapani. Ripe tomatoes make a noticeable difference, since there is no long cooking to soften an underripe flavor. The home recipe below follows the almond-and-tomato combination with dried busiate; another twisted pasta is a practical substitute if you cannot find it.
Explore by food: Pasta
Let’s make busiate al pesto trapanese.
Keep the pesto coarse and toss it with the pasta in a serving bowl.
Four first-course portions.
What you’ll need
- 320 gdried busiate
- 300 gripe cherry tomatoes
- 40 gblanched almonds
- 25 gbasil leaves, washed and dried
- 1garlic clove
- 70 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 30 gParmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- ¼ tspblack pepper
- 3 lwater, for cooking pasta
- 2 tspfine salt, divided
Rotini or gemelli is a substitute for busiate. This home version retains the cheese in its tomato-and-almond pesto; regional preparations vary.
How to make it
- 01
Toast the almonds
Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden. Spread on a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
- 02
Prepare a coarse pesto
Pulse almonds, garlic, basil and ¼ tsp of the salt in a food processor. Add tomatoes and oil, then pulse briefly until chunky. Stir in cheese and pepper and transfer to a large bowl.
- 03
Cook the busiate
Bring the water to a boil with the remaining salt. Cook pasta according to its packet until al dente. Reserve 250 ml pasta water, then drain.
- 04
Toss in the bowl
Add hot pasta to the pesto and toss. Add cooking water a spoonful at a time only if needed to make the sauce cling. Divide among four plates and serve.
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