Italy is a culinary paradise and Sicilian cuisine is one of the most varied and delicious. A typical Sicilian dish is the Pesto alla Trapanese, a Sicilian pesto recipe made from fresh or dried tomatoes, almonds, garlic, ricotta, parmesan and basil. In this blog post we are going to share the recipe and some variations for this delicious dish for you to try at home.
The pesto alla trapanese is a Sicilian variant of the Genovese pesto, typical of the province of Trapani. It is also known as pesto alla siciliana and as pasta cull’agghia in the Sicilian language.
Recipe for Sicilian Pesto – Pesto alla Siciliana
Now you can rejoice because I have a Sicilian pesto recipe for you! This pesto is unlike any other pesto you know. It’s flavorful, hearty and just incredibly delicious.
The recipe is very simple and you will love it. First you will toast the almonds in a pan. Then all the ingredients are pureed in a blender or food processor. Add a little more olive oil until the desired consistency is reached.
This pesto is perfect for pasta , but you can also use it on bread or as a dip. Try it and I’m sure you’ll love it!
if you like our homemade Sicilian pesto, you might also be interested in these dishes and pesto variants:
- Hasselback beets with coriander pesto
- vegan parsley pesto recipe
- Carrot greens pesto
- Potato salad with coriander pesto
- Spring pesto made from fresh wild garlic
Sicilian pesto variations
You can modify the classic recipe as you like.
- Almonds can be replaced in whole or in part by pine nuts . I’ve also heard of pistachios in Sicilian pesto.
- You can also swap out the Parmigiano for Pecorino or use Spanish Manchego cheese to create a Spanish twist.
- The ricotta can be made from sheep’s or cow’s milk and can be sold fresh or cured. There are also recipes that don’t use ricotta in the pesto, like the pesto alla Trapanese.
- You can also make the Sicilian pesto with sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes . This brings a more intense taste and a stronger color. Note, however, if you use sun-dried tomatoes in oil, reduce the amount of oil and salt in the recipe.
Sicilian pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 G truss tomatoes
- 140 G Ricotta*
- 100 G Parmesan*
- 50 G almonds* or pine nuts
- 150 ml native olive oil*
- 1 small Bunch of basil
- 1 clove of garlic
- kosher salt*
- Pepper* from the mill
Instructions
- Roast the almonds in a pan without adding fat until golden brown. Toss constantly so they don’t burn and are toasted evenly on both sides.
- Wash, halve and deseed the tomatoes. Roughly dice.
- Wash and shake dry the basil. Chop coarsely.
- Peel and coarsely chop the garlic.
- Add all the prepared ingredients to the blender along with the ricotta and parmesan until a smooth mixture forms. Slowly pour in the olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper!
Nutrition
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