Love basil but think pine nuts are too expensive? Or, maybe you just want to use those those fresh seasonal tomatoes in a tasty pasta sauce! Look no further than Sicily’s Pesto alla Trapanese! This Sicilian basil pesto with almonds and tomatoes is fresh, fast and perfect for making a summer pasta.
Basil Pesto with Almonds: Ingredients
There’s no single definitive recipe for Pesto alla Trapanese, but here are the traditional ingredients:
- Fresh Basil
- Fresh Tomatoes (peeled): such as datterini, piennolo, or San Marzano. Use only the pulp—remove excess seeds and water.
- Fresh Garlic: Use only fresh cloves, as Italians do. Traditionally, aglio rosso (red garlic) is preferred.
- Peeled Almonds: Lightly toasted in a dry skillet or oven.
- Pecorino Cheese: Sicilian pecorino is ideal, but any aged pecorino will work.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Since it’s added raw, use high-quality oil for full nutritional and flavor benefits.
How to Make Basil Pesto with Almonds and Tomatoes
If you’ve pre-toasted the almonds, this basil pesto can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta!
Best Tool: Mortar and Pestle
The traditional way to make Pesto alla Trapanese is with a mortar and pestle. Crushing the ingredients releases the essential oils from basil and garlic—something a blade just can’t do. The result? A deeper, rounder flavor that can’t be matched by a blender.
Other Tools You Can Use to Make Basil Pesto
If you’re short on time or tools, a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix) or immersion blender works well. The taste won’t be as nuanced, but it will still be delicious.
Tools We Use: Meet the Best Italian Mortar and Pestle
If you’d like to learn more about the Italian mortar and pestle we use in our video recipes, check out our article on the Best Italian Mortar and Pestle!
After reviewing a bunch of marble mortar and pestles over the years—of varying sizes and materials—we whole heartedly recommend the Bembo Mortar and Pestle (affiliate link). Here’s a look at it in action!
In this video recipe, we use the 20 cm (about 8″) size of the Bembo marble mortar and pestle to make the most famous Italian recipe that calls for this traditional tool: Basil Pesto Genovese!
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