Cooking
Summer is bright red, hot, juicy and sweet. So it's ironic that tomatoes don't really become ripe until the last gasp of Summer and into early Fall. To savor a bit more of the flavor of Summer, I recently made a delicious variation on the Genovese pesto recipe, a Sicilian recipe from Trapani with chunks of ripe tomato.
Trapanese Pesto is a twist on the classic and in addition to tomatoes, it includes some mint, almonds, a dash of chili and pecorino instead of parmesan cheese. While I'm sorry I didn't try get to try this pesto when I was in Trapani, I am very glad I discovered it. Trapenese Pesto is spicier and more full-bodied than the Genoa version with cool and hot tones all at once. The almonds give it a distinctive creaminess.
I reviewed quite a few recipes before coming up with my own recipe. Like the more famous pesto there is no definitive version so if you feel like adding more oil or a handful of pine nuts, go right ahead. While sundried tomatoes are available all year round and make a lovely pesto, try this version now while fresh tomatoes are still sweet and juicy.
Trapanese Pesto
Enough for 1 pound dried spaghetti
Ingredients
1/4 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (depending on how thick you like it)
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup basil leaves (about one bunch)
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
Instructions
Place the almonds, garlic, and chili in a food processor and pulse just until roughly chopped. Add the mint, basil and cheese and pulse again briefly until everything is blended. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The texture should be chunky, not finely pureed. Transfer to a bowl and add the tomatoes. Taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if needed.
Enjoy!
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Cooking
Trapanese Pesto Recipe
Summer is bright red, hot, juicy and sweet. So it's ironic that tomatoes don't really become ripe until the last gasp of Summer and into early Fall. To savor a bit more of the flavor of Summer, I recently made a delicious variation on the Genovese pesto recipe, a Sicilian recipe from Trapani with chunks of ripe tomato.
Trapanese Pesto is a twist on the classic and in addition to tomatoes, it includes some mint, almonds, a dash of chili and pecorino instead of parmesan cheese. While I'm sorry I didn't try get to try this pesto when I was in Trapani, I am very glad I discovered it. Trapenese Pesto is spicier and more full-bodied than the Genoa version with cool and hot tones all at once. The almonds give it a distinctive creaminess.
I reviewed quite a few recipes before coming up with my own recipe. Like the more famous pesto there is no definitive version so if you feel like adding more oil or a handful of pine nuts, go right ahead. While sundried tomatoes are available all year round and make a lovely pesto, try this version now while fresh tomatoes are still sweet and juicy.
Trapanese Pesto
Enough for 1 pound dried spaghetti
Ingredients
1/4 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (depending on how thick you like it)
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup basil leaves (about one bunch)
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
Instructions
Place the almonds, garlic, and chili in a food processor and pulse just until roughly chopped. Add the mint, basil and cheese and pulse again briefly until everything is blended. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The texture should be chunky, not finely pureed. Transfer to a bowl and add the tomatoes. Taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if needed.
Enjoy!
- Pappa Al Pomodoro: Recipe
Tuscans are infamous for being stingy. But when it comes to food that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are experts at cooking beans and even make a delicious soup called "cooked water" that is chock full of vegetables and topped with an egg. While...
- Contest: Tomato Sauce Trivia
I recently suggested that with all the variations possible with pesto, perhaps a pesto cookbook was in order. Little did I know there already was a pesto cookbook! Very Pesto is divided into four sections, Herb Pestos, Pasta & Pesto, For Openers:...
- Spaghetti Salad: Recipe
I think you can argue that it isn't really Summer until tomatoes are juice-down-your-chin ripe. When a tomato is at it's sweet peak, I'm not alone in believing it should be eaten raw. In countries where tomatoes are grown, there are lots...
- Grilled Mozzarella Tomato & Pesto Sandwiches Recipe
Lots of people pooh pooh the George Foreman grill. Not me. I think it's great for roasting vegetables, making shish kebabs and grilling delicate things like fish. But most of all I love it for being a makeshift panini press. Last night's grilled...
- Just Buy The Book, Already!
Here's another wonderfully simple, and fast, recipe from Giada De Laurentis. Penne with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Wow. Talk about an easy meal! I even waited until Matt was home to start cooking, and we still found ourselves sitting at the table,...