Annas Pesto Trapanese Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Slice potatoes up to 1/4-inch thick.
• In a food processor, combine 2 cups basil leaves, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 4 anchovy fillets, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Pulse until blended, adding another 2 to 4 tablespoons of oil until smooth.
• Toss with potatoes. Layer in an 8-by-10 baking dish and bake until top is browned and potatoes are done, about 55 minutes.

Steps:

• Cover the almonds with boiling water for a few minutes to loosen their skins, then slip them off with your fingers when they are cool enough to handle. Try not to cut corners and use ready blanched almonds, as nuts quickly lose their flavour without their protective skins. Toast the almonds in a non-stick frying pan, stirring frequently for a few minutes until they are pale gold.
• Whizz the basil, garlic and a little coarse sea salt in a food processor and tip into a large bowl. Process the almonds, again with a little salt, using the pulse button, until they're the size of small grains of rice.
• Peel the tomatoes, de-seed by halving and squeezing over the sink, then chop into medium dice. Mix the tomatoes and the almonds into the basil and garlic, add the grated cheese and olive oil and mix well. Taste and season with pepper and - only if needed - a little salt.
• Boil the pasta in the usual way, taking care to keep it very al dente, especially if you are planning to serve it cold. The Sicilians are probably the most fussy of all Italians about pasta, and they are very quick to declare it scotta, which means overcooked. To judge when to drain the pasta, cut a piece of pasta open: when it has a tiny uncooked white speck at the centre, drain it. It will be perfectly cooked all the way through by the time you serve it.
• Drain the pasta but reserve a couple of ladles of the pasta water. Tip the pasta into the bowl with the pesto and mix it gently but quickly, so that the melting cheese is well distributed. Add a little pasta water if necessary so the sauce lightly coats each pasta corkscrew. The pasta can be served now, lukewarm, or at room temperature, but don't chill, as this dulls the heady aromas which are the joy of this dish.

Steps:

• Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry. Rinse the basil leaves and pat dry.
• Drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food-processor bowl, followed by the garlic clove, the almonds, basil leaves, pepper flakes, and salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine puree; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.
• With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the puree into a thick pesto. Taste, and adjust seasoning. If you're going to dress pasta within a couple of hours, leave the pesto at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage, up to 2 days, but let it return to room temperature before adding to pasta.
• Serve over 1 pound of hot cooked pasta. Top with the cheese.

Steps:

• Rinse the cherry tomatoes, and pat them dry; rinse the basil leaves and pat dry.
• Drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food processor bowl, followed by the garlic, almonds, basil leaves, pepper flakes, and 1/2 t salt.
• Blend for a minute or two to a fine puree; scrape down the bowl, and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.
• With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the puree into a thick pesto.
• Taste, and adjust seasoning.
• Heat 6 quarts water with 1 T salt to the boil in a large pot.
• Scrape all the pesto into a big warm bowl.
• Cook the spaghetti al dente, lift it from the cooking pot; drain briefly, and drop onto the pesto.
• Toss quickly to coat the spaghetti, sprinkle the cheese all over, and toss again.
• Serve immediately in warm bowls.