Pesto alla Trapanese
By @kellysalwayscooking
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta. While the water is heating, prepare the pesto. In the bowl of a food processor, add the tomatoes, basil, mint, garlic, almonds, red pepper flakes, and salt. Blend until everything starts to come together, then slowly stream in the olive oil, until the mixture becomes emulsified. Set aside.
Once the water is boiling, add the conchiglie, return to a boil and cook for two minutes. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain. Add the pesto to the pan that you cooked the pasta in, then return the pasta to the pot. Stir to coat, and then add the pecorino romano and stir again. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Turn the heat to medium and stir vigorously for two more minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the pasta is al dente and nicely coated with sauce. If you need to add a little more reserved pasta water, you can do so now. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve with additional pecorino romano.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb conchiglie
- 1 1/4 lb cherry tomatoes, rinsed and dried
- 4 large sprigs of basil, leaves removed from the stems, rinsed and dried
- 4 mint leaves, rinsed and dried
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 cup whole raw almonds, toasted in a dry pan for a few minutes (peeled or unpeeled)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for salting the pasta water
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated pecorino romano
- 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
Instructions:
Heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta. While the water is heating, prepare the pesto. In the bowl of a food processor, add the tomatoes, basil, mint, garlic, almonds, red pepper flakes, and salt. Blend until everything starts to come together, then slowly stream in the olive oil, until the mixture becomes emulsified. Set aside.
Once the water is boiling, add the conchiglie, return to a boil and cook for two minutes. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain. Add the pesto to the pan that you cooked the pasta in, then return the pasta to the pot. Stir to coat, and then add the pecorino romano and stir again. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Turn the heat to medium and stir vigorously for two more minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the pasta is al dente and nicely coated with sauce. If you need to add a little more reserved pasta water, you can do so now. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve with additional pecorino romano.
