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Enjoy the vibrant flavors of Sicily with this simple pesto alla Trapanese recipe. Pesto alla Trapanese is a flavorful twist on classic basil pesto and is made with fresh tomatoes, almonds, basil, garlic, and pecorino cheese. It’s a delicious staple in the Mediterranean cuisine and commonly served with Busiate pasta.

a flatlay table scene featuring two plates of pasta with pesto alla trapanese, pecorino cheese, and a small jug of olive oil on a terracotta backdrop.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

Pasta – you can easily make Busiate pasta at home. If you don’t want to make the pasta from scratch or can’t find Busiate in the store, Fusilli pasta is a great substitute.
Garlic – one or two cloves, depending on your preference. It adds complexity and a slightly spicy note to the sauce.
Almonds – blanched almonds to thicken the sauce and achieve a slightly rustic texture. They also add a rich and nutty taste.
Fresh basil leaves – to enhance the flavor of the sauce. While traditional basil pesto, such as Pesto alla Genovese, features basil as a primary ingredient, Pesto alla Trapanese only uses a small amount of basil to add an aromatic and herbal note.
Tomatoes – ripe and flavorful cherry tomatoes are the base ingredient for the pesto. Their low moisture content and sweet flavor are essential for a vibrant taste and ideal texture. For best results, avoid using tomatoes with a high water content, or the texture of the pesto will be too runny and watery.
Cheese – I used finely grated Pecorino Romano to add a salty and tangy flavor, but grated Parmesan cheese works well as a substitute.
Extra virgin olive oil – to enhance the flavor of the pesto and contribute to a smooth and creamy texture.
Mortar and pestle or blender – traditionally, pesto alla Trapanese is prepared using a mortar and pestle, which allows for better control over the texture and consistency. However, if you want to speed up the process, you can also make the pesto with a food processor.

A mortar and pestle and the ingredients to make pesto alla trapanese: cherry tomatoes, garlic, blanched almonds, fresh basil leaves, olive oil and grated pecorino romano cheese.

A baking tray filled with fresh, homemade busiate pasta.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Option 1: With a Mortar and Pestle

make the Pesto alla trapanese:

Roughly chop the cherry tomatoes and basil leaves into smaller chunks. This makes it easier to grind the ingredients afterward.

Add a pinch of salt and the garlic cloves to a mortar and pestle. Start pounding and grinding the garlic until it turns into a smooth paste.

Add the blanched almonds and continue the pounding and grinding motion until they are finely chopped and crumbly. To achieve the typical rustic texture of Trapanese pesto, the almonds should still have a slightly coarse texture and shouldn’t be completely pulverized.

Then, add the basil and grind it in circular motions to break down the leaves and release their aroma. The basil should retain some texture and a vibrant green color. Avoid overworking the basil, as this might result in bitterness and a loss of its fresh and aromatic taste.

Next, add the tomatoes and use the pestle to break them down while incorporating them into the mixture. This step adds moisture and helps combine the ingredients into a sauce.

Lastly, stir in the finely grated Pecorino Romano and drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while continuing to stir and mix the ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta and toss it with the pesto:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, transfer the pesto to a saucepan or skillet and heat it over low-medium heat. You want to warm the pesto slowly and gently without bringing it to a boil. Stir the sauce occasionally as it warms to ensure even heating.

Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook the pasta according to package instructions, or for about 2 minutes if you are using fresh, homemade pasta. Keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks very quickly. Keep an eye on it and check for doneness frequently to prevent overcooking. When the pasta is done, drain it with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer it directly to the skillet with the pesto. Add a splash of pasta water. This loosens up the pesto and turns it into a creamy, silky sauce. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with pesto. Garnish the pasta with fresh basil and serve it with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Option 2: With a Food Processor

Blend the ingredients:

For a quicker and easier preparation, you can make the pesto using a food processor. Add the almonds, garlic, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes to the container of a blender. Pulse a few times until the ingredients come together into a sauce that’s still slightly coarse with some chunky bits. Trapanese pesto is known for its rustic texture and doesn’t need to be completely smooth. Then, transfer the sauce to a mixing bowl and stir in the grated cheese and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Follow the steps above to cook the pasta and toss it with the pesto. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

If you can’t find blanched almonds in the store, here’s an easy way to blanch them at home: Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the almonds to the pot and cook them for a couple of minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl with ice water. This stops the cooking process and cools the almonds. Once they are cool enough to handle, remove their skin by squeezing them between your thumb and forefinger. The skin should slip off easily. Lastly, pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
For a fresh springtime pesto alternative, try this simple wild garlic pesto recipe.

Common Questions About Pesto alla Trapanese

Pesto alla Trapanese is traditionally only made of blanched almonds, ripe and sweet cherry tomatoes, raw garlic, fresh basil leaves, and extra virgin olive oil. I like to add finely grated Pecorino Romano for extra flavor and creaminess. But you can omit the cheese to turn this into a delicious vegan pesto.

The most common way to serve this Sicilian pesto is by tossing it with cooked pasta. Traditionally, it’s served with Busiate pasta, but Fusilli or Penne are common substitutes.

Another delicious way to serve Trapanese pesto is to use it as a spread for bruschetta or to mix a few spoonfuls of it into pasta salads.

Pesto alla Trapanese originates from the Province of Trapani in Western Sicily, which is known for its rich cultural heritage and culinary traditions focusing on local produce and fresh seasonal ingredients.

Homemade pesto can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. To maintain flavor and freshness, you can pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto before sealing the container. This acts as a protective barrier and helps to prevent oxidation.

More Pasta Recipes You May Like:

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Orecchiette with creamy red pepper sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

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busiate pasta with pesto alla trapanese on a colorful plate.

Busiate Pasta with Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Tomato Pesto)

published by: Julia

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total 30

Course Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings people

Calories 669 kcal

Equipment

Mortar and pestle or standmixer

Ingredients

For the pesto:

2 garlic cloves
70 g blanched almonds
20 g fresh basil leaves
300 g cherry tomatoes
70 g pecorino romano – finely grated
50 g extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

400 g dried pasta OR 600 g fresh busiate pasta – to make the pasta from scratch you will need 400 g semolina flour and 200 g water.
grated cheese
fresh basil – to garnish

Instructions

OPTION 1: WITH A MORTAR AND PESTLE

Roughly chop the cherry tomatoes and basil leaves into smaller chunks. This makes it easier to grind the ingredients afterward.
Add a pinch of salt and the garlic cloves to a mortar and pestle. Start pounding and grinding the garlic until it turns into a smooth paste.
Add the blanched almonds and continue the pounding and grinding motion until they are finely chopped and crumbly. To achieve the typical rustic texture of Trapanese pesto, the almonds should still have a slightly coarse texture and shouldn’t be completely pulverized.
Then, add the basil and grind it in circular motions to break down the leaves and release their aroma. The basil should retain some texture and a vibrant green color. Avoid overworking the basil, as this might result in bitterness and a loss of its fresh and aromatic taste.
Next, add the tomatoes and use the pestle to break them down while incorporating them into the mixture. This step adds moisture and helps combine the ingredients into a sauce.
Lastly, stir in the finely grated Pecorino Romano and drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while continuing to stir and mix the ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, transfer the pesto to a saucepan or skillet and heat it over low-medium heat. You want to warm the pesto slowly and gently without bringing it to a boil. Stir the sauce occasionally as it warms to ensure even heating.
Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook the pasta according to package instructions, or for about 2 minutes if you are using fresh, homemade pasta. Keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks very quickly. Keep an eye on it and check for doneness frequently to prevent overcooking. When the pasta is done, drain it with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer it directly to the skillet with the pesto. Add a splash of pasta water. This loosens up the pesto and turns it into a creamy, silky sauce. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with pesto. Garnish the pasta with fresh basil and serve it with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

OPTION 2: WITH A FOOD PROCESSOR

For a quicker and easier preparation, you can make the pesto using a food processor. Add the almonds, garlic, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes to the container of a blender. Pulse a few times until the ingredients come together into a sauce that’s still slightly coarse with some chunky bits. Trapanese pesto is known for its rustic texture and doesn’t need to be completely smooth. Then, transfer the sauce to a mixing bowl and stir in the grated cheese and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Follow the steps above to cook the pasta and toss it with the pesto. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 669kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 23gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 228mgPotassium: 538mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 704IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 268mgIron: 3mg

Keywords busiate pasta, fresh pesto, homemade pasta, Pesto alla trapanese, semolina pasta, sicilian pasta, sicilian pesto, tomato pesto, trapanese pesto

Busiate Pasta with Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Tomato Pesto)

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need