Pesto alla Trapanese (with Pasta)

Pesto alla Trapanese combines the delicious flavors of fresh tomatoes, almonds, garlic, and basil.  Sometimes called ‘almond pesto,’ it’s a vibrant and nutty sauce that will pair perfectly with your favorite pasta.  Make sure you prepare extra!  

Some people call pesto alla Trapanese as ‘Sicilian pesto,’ because ‘Trapanese‘ means it comes from Trapani — a city located in the western part of the island of Sicily.

I’m not one of those people. 🙂 From my perspective, they are two different kinds of pesto.

However, I agree with some who call it almond pesto since it primarily uses almonds — traditionally blanched almonds, to be exact.

The fresh cherry tomatoes certainly make this a summer dish.  But if you live where excellent tomatoes are plentiful all year, you should not have any problem enjoying this delicious pesto all year round.

Oh!  While I gave quantities for each ingredient in the recipe card, feel free to adjust any measurements.  

Remember to keep tasting and balancing the flavors and seasoning — depending on your taste.

FOR MORE REGIONAL ITALIAN RECIPES, CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

Ingredients

• Almonds – you need to use blanched almonds for this pesto Trapanese recipe.  If you are unsure how to do it, check out my other post on how to blanch almonds.

• Tomatoes – you can use whatever type of cherry tomatoes, as long as they’re juicy and sweet (as opposed to tangy).

• Pecorino Romano – some almond pesto recipes use a different kind of cheese, but pecorino Romano is used traditionally.

• Basil – please use fresh basil; dried ones will not work.

• Garlic – just one peeled clove is all you need.

• Olive oil – I strongly suggest using extra-virgin olive oil.  However, stick to the mild or fruity ones; intense or robust olive oil will overpower the rest of the ingredients for pesto Trapanese.

• Salt & ground black pepper – for seasoning.

How to make pesto alla Trapanese

Start by grounding the blanched almonds in a food processor — note that you should still be able to see bits in there.

Add the garlic, cherry tomatoes, and basil leaves.

Process again until everything has been combined.

Pour about five tablespoons of olive oil.

Continue processing to combine the almond pesto evenly.

Transfer into a bowl, then add the grated pecorino, salt and pepper.

Mix with a whisk.

Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt and pepper, if preferred.

Transfer into a clean jar or container and refrigerate for later use.

Helpful tips

• Be careful not to grind the almonds too long, or you’ll end up with almond butter — unusable for making pesto Trapanese.

• Do not hesitate to add more olive oil if you think you need more.

• Some people add the pecorino Romano in the processor, but I prefer to add it later and mix with a whisk — I like to keep the small, grated bits intact.

• When making pasta alla Trapanese, remember to keep some pasta water.  It makes the final dish creamier and helps the pesto stick to the cooked pasta.

Recipe variation

• Almonds not blanched.  I’ve seen some variations where the skin of the almonds is kept.  That is completely fine if you like a hint (not overwhelming) of bitterness in the pesto.

• Other types of pecorino.  While pecorino Romano is traditionally used, I have sometimes used pecorino Toscano, which is milder than Romano but still as creamy.  

I love pecorino Sardo, but it’s just way too strong for almond pesto; that’s my humble opinion. 🙂 

• Sea salt.  It’s an even better alternative to your regular salt when making this pesto.

It’s so easy, right?  So, prepare all your ingredients and try it for tonight’s dinner- you will not regret it!

OR GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF PASTA DISHES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

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📖 Recipe