I was supposed to be cutting cherry tomatoes, but they were so sweet I couldn’t not eat them. It’s early July, and you know tomato season’s here when panzanella’s back on the menu. That’s the dish we wait for all year long.
Juicy heirlooms, cherry tomatoes, fior di latte, splash of balsamic, couple basil leaves, and handfuls of day-old focaccia croutons soaking up all the acqua di pomodoro. It's the kind of salad that makes you want to start a garden.
The second one burst in my mouth, I thought Trapanese.
No cooking. All raw. Bright, nutty, juicy, a little garlicky.
How they Do It in Trapani
This isn't your classic green pesto. Trapanese comes from the west coast of Sicily, where almonds grow wild and the sun hits hard. It’s a pesto built for summer with fewer rules and more vibes.
It’s traditionally made with almonds, garlic, cherry tomatoes, basil, and Pecorino. And it’s served with busiate, a chewy hand-rolled semolina and water pasta that looks like a phone cord (IYKYK).
Almonds Are In
Almonds are everywhere in Sicilian cooking so of course they’re the base here instead of pine nuts. I like to use blanched almonds, whole or sliced, and toast them in the oven until golden, just enough to bring out the nutty flavor.
And right before serving, I zest an almond on top like you would with nutmeg.
Chunky Not Smooth
I use a food processor for the base, but ALWAYS pulse. We’re not making gazpacho. You want chunks. Break the cherry tomatoes and garlic, hand-chop the rest, toss it in.
If you’re game, try making busiate. It’s easier than it looks. All you need is semolina, water, and a skewer—I should probably do a post on it soon.
For the Jean-Talon event, I made campanelle. Still great and grabbing the sauce just way more realistic when you’re prepping for a bigger crowd.
What do you Cook when It’s 30° and you’re expecting 200 People
I served this pasta at an all-women cheffe event at Jean-Talon Market last weekend. Every dish featured produce from women-led farms, paired with wines from women winemakers. It was a hot day, and I wanted to bring a vegetarian option that had that farm-to-table visual, not heavy, easy to scale, and not sad if served cold.
That’s what seasonal cooking is to me. You see what’s ready, what’s calling your name, and you build a plate around that.
That’s how you taste the season.
That’s how you show respect.
Em
This pesto is best the day of, but still slaps on toast or over a fried egg. Even if you’re cooking pasta for two, make the full batch and stash the rest in the fridge.
250g fresh campanelle
500g cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
15 basil leaves, chopped or chiffonade
7–8 mint leaves, chopped or chiffonade
100g almonds, blanched and toasted until golden, then roughly chopped
75g olive oil, more as needed
75g Pecorino Romano, finely grated, more to shave on top
Salt & pepper
Espelette pepper, a pinch of, dried or fresh, finely chopped (optional)
Optional garnish:
Semi-dried cherry tomatoes (see below)
Whole skin-on almonds (to microplane on top like nutmeg)
Clean the cherry tomatoes. In small batches, pulse them in a food processor just until chunky, do not purée. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Add garlic and almonds.
Add olive oil, fold in Pecorino.
Add basil, mint, and Espelette pepper. Taste and adjust salt.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente.
Add a few spoonfuls of pesto to a new mixing bowl.
Toss the hot pasta over the pesto with a splash of pasta water.
Mix until every piece is coated.
Plate. Top with shaved Pecorino, microplaned almond dust, and semi-dried tomatoes if you made them.
Campanelle can be replaced by any short pasta you like
For the semi-dried cherry tomatoes: slice cherry tomatoes in half. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of icing sugar. Lay cut-side up on a parchment-lined tray and dry in the oven overnight on the lowest setting.
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