What Is Linosa Pesto?
Introduction
Perhaps best known for its figs, prickly pears, and lentils that grow abundantly on its volcanic soil, the island of Linosa is also home to a bright red pesto that shuns cheese but incorporates their beloved tomatoes.
This tiny island, almost 100 miles south-east of Palermo in Sicily, is home to less than 500 inhabitants and largely relies on agriculture. Like many regions of Italy, over time, cooks have tweaked and adapted the everyday pesto recipe to use all the excellent fresh ingredients that grow in the countryside around them.
Like Calabrese pesto, the islanders of Linosa incorporate tomatoes and almonds into their pesto (known locally as O' Pistu Linusaru), making for an incredibly refreshing sauce.
Ingredients for 8-10 servings of Linosa pesto
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Plum tomatoes | 400g |
| Olive oil | 100g |
| Almonds | 40g |
| Basil | 40g |
| Parsley | 20g |
| Pine nuts | 20g |
| Garlic | x1 clove |
| Sea salt flakes | as needed |
Method
Cut a small cross on each of your tomatoes and blanch them in water for 30 seconds. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of cold water, peel them off, and discard the skins. Chop the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds. Pat dry with a sheet of kitchen roll to remove excess juices and roughly chop.
Using a pestle and mortar, add the garlic clove and a generous pinch of salt. Pound the garlic until fully broken down, and then add the pine nuts and almonds.
Work the sauce until it becomes smooth and creamy, then add the tomatoes. Continue pounding until the tomatoes are fully broken down, and then add the basil and parsley.
Work until the pesto reaches a smooth consistency before slowly drizzling in the olive oil.