Busiate al Pesto Trapanese

Pietro Adragna’s family recipe for busiate al pesto trapanese follows the flavours of western Sicily: tomatoes, almonds, garlic, fresh basil, pecorino and olive oil. The twisted pasta is coated with a mortar-made dressing rather than a sauce cooked in a pan.

Small incisions are made in the cherry tomatoes before a brief blanch softens them for peeling. Pecorino is grated, and the garlic is peeled and cut into small pieces.

The peeled tomatoes, garlic, almonds, fresh basil and grated pecorino go into a terracotta mortar. Olive oil joins the mixture as a pestle crushes the ingredients into their dressing.

Busiate cook in boiling salted water until al dente. They are then combined with the prepared pesto so the tomato, cheese, nut and herb mixture coats the pasta.

Adragna connects the dish with his family’s Trapani setting and memories of summer holidays. His version keeps the preparation focused on the mortar-ground pesto and serves the dressed busiate straight from the mixing step.