Trapanese pesto Pasta

 

Video

This sauce never touches heat.

Raw tomatoes, toasted almonds, basil, garlic, pecorino. No cooking, no pine nuts. The almonds give it a richness pine nuts never quite manage. The raw tomatoes keep it bright, almost effervescent. Cooking would destroy both of those things.

The recipe:

• 1lb pasta casarecce
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 oz /1 c toasted almonds
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 large handfuls of fresh basil
• 3oz pecorino, plus more to finish
• 1/2c olive oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Blend the almonds and garlic then add tomatoes olive oil and basil — it should not be a smooth texture.
2. Transfer to a bowl and add the pecorino Romano and set aside.
3. Cook the pasta in heavily salted water and reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
4. Toss the pasta directly with the pesto off the heat. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed. Finish with more pecorino and a little extra olive oil.