Busiate pasta with Trapanese pesto
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
685 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Busiate pasta with Trapanese pesto
Description
This recipe starts by peeling ripe tomatoes after blanching, which helps create a thicker and less watery sauce. Almonds are toasted gently to bring out their nutty aroma before being pulsed with garlic and olive oil into a coarse crumb texture. Basil is added cautiously to avoid bitterness, followed by the tomato and pecorino cheese, yielding a fresh, rustic pesto with a creamy consistency that still retains texture. Black pepper and salt adjust the seasoning, and olive oil is added to reach the desired moisture level.
The resulting sauce complements the long, twisted busiate pasta well, as its shape is ideal for catching and holding the pesto’s bits and creaminess. This pesto can also be adapted for other pasta types, such as fusilli or linguine, and even made vegan by omitting cheese and using toasted breadcrumbs for topping.
Letting the pesto rest before serving allows flavors to meld. The sauce’s richness and fresh tomato brightness make it a flavorful yet balanced pasta dish suited for a simple meal with some crusty bread or salad on the side.
Ingredients
- 400 g long busiate pasta or fusilli, spaghetti, linguine etc, or short; 14oz
- 500 g fresh ripe tomatoes I used piccadilly tomatoes, 1.1 lbs
- 1 basil leaves small handful
- 80 g almonds blanched, 3oz
- 100 g pecorino cheese grated, 3.5oz
- 2 garlic preferrably red garlic, peeled cloves
- extra virgin olive oil (as required)
- salt to taste and for pasta
- black pepper to taste
- 80 g breadcrumbs for serving, 3oz
Instructions
- Start by preparing tomatoes. Cut an 'x' into the top of each tomato. Put them in a bowl of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain the water, let the tomatoes cool enough to handle and then peel them. Cut them in half or quarters and remove the seeds. (this will help prevent the sauce from being too liquidy)
- Dry fry the almonds on a low heat to toast them. Be careful not to let them burn.
- Put toasted almonds, a pinch of salt and the peeled garlic cloves into a blender or food processor with a little olive oil and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs.
- Add the basil leaves and more oil if necessary. Pulse in short bursts to prevent basil from spoiling. Add the tomato halves and half the grated pecorino cheese and pulse a few times more until you have a rough creamy consistency.
- Add pepper to taste and a little more olive oil if the sauce seems dry or more cheese if it seems too liquidy.
- Leave the pesto to stand for 30 minutes before using to allow the flavour to develop (or keep it in the fridge covered with cling film until ready to use)
- In the meantime, boil a pan of water for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and when it comes to a boil again cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
- While the pasta is cooking dry fry the breadcrumbs to toast them. Be careful not to burn them.
- When the pasta is ready, save a cup of the cooking water and drain.
- Return the pasta to the pan, add the pesto and mix everything together well over a low heat for a minute. If the sauce seems dry add some of the pasta cooking water. (I mixed everything together in a bowl instead of the pan)
- Serve immediately sprinkled with breadcrumbs or if you prefer, more grated pecorino
Notes
- This pesto pairs best with busiate, but you can substitute with fusilli, spaghetti, linguine, or penne for similar texture and flavor absorption.
- For a vegan version, omit the cheese and top the pasta with toasted breadcrumbs instead.
- Using red garlic is traditional but any garlic can work; adjust amount to taste.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 685 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 685kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 99g | 33% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 0.003g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 26mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 459mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 727mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1145IU | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 390mg | 39% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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