What Is Trapanese Pesto?

Trapanese pesto is arguably the world's second-most famous pesto. This Sicilian creation switches the traditional pine nuts for almonds and introduces their revered tomatoes.

Trapanese pesto hails from Sicily

Legend has it that in ancient times, Ligurian sailors would dock in the Sicilian port of Trapani and share the secrets of their homeland's beloved sauce. Impressed by what they tasted, the Sicilians tweaked the original pesto recipe to include their world-class tomatoes and almonds.

Trapanese pesto still contains plenty of olive oil, basil, nuts, garlic, and cheese, but the added tomatoes give the sauce a fresh, summery vibe. Sicilians swear by their beloved Pachino tomatoes, which grow in the far south of the island. Resembling the cherry tomatoes you find in UK supermarkets, these small, bright red tomatoes are so exceptionally sweet and intensely fragrant that there really is no comparison.

The inclusion of fresh tomatoes means that Trapanese pesto is lighter than Genovese pesto and not quite as creamy due to the Sicilians' preference for almonds over pine nuts. If you want to push the boat out, it's worth trying to track down the Sicilian Noto Romana almonds, which are intensely sweet and not as oily as other varieties. Just make sure they are blanched and peeled, as the skins can taste quite bitter.

If you ever have a chance to get your hands on some aglio rosso di Nubia, the famed purple garlic, fill your boots. This variety is revered across Sicily for its incredible taste, aroma, and texture and often finds its way into the local pesto recipes.

While slightly controversial, some cooks throw in a few mint leaves when making Trapanese pesto. It's not to everyone's taste, but it adds an extra level of complexity that we rather like. For ultimate authenticity, serve with the finest busiate pasta you can afford.

Trapanese pesto ingredients

How to make Trapanese pesto

The first step is optional but recommended. Using a sharp knife, make a small cross in the base of each tomato. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes for about 20 seconds before cooling them in an ice bath. Peel and discard the skins.

Chop the tomatoes into quarters, remove and discard the seeds, pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels, and roughly chop. You should end up with around 50g of tomatoes, varying depending on the variety.

Add everything except the olive oil to a food processor and pulse until you reach your desired consistency.

Transfer everything to a mixing bowl and stir in the olive oil by hand.

Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to five days.