Pasta alla Trapanese
A vibrant Sicilian pesto made with toasted almonds, fresh basil, and ripe tomatoes perfectly coats al dente linguine, topped with spicy merguez sausage. A simple, sun-kissed dish ready in under 40 minutes.
I love this Sicilian-style pesto made with almonds and ripe tomatoes.
In winter, I go for greenhouse cherry tomatoes, but if you’ve got seasonal tomatoes, it’s even better! I top it with merguez sausages and fresh tomatoes — so good.
Why make this recipe?
- A unique and original pesto: more fragrant and textured than classic basil pesto.
- Toasted almonds add crunch and a subtle sweetness.
- Burst of freshness from cherry tomatoes and optional mint.
- Hearty and satisfying, with spicy, protein-rich merguez.
- Quick to make: perfect for impressing without spending all evening in the kitchen.
- Super versatile: skip the meat for an easy vegetarian version.
Note: To lighten it up, leave out the merguez, go fully vegetarian, or slightly reduce the amount of oil.
In a food processor, combine the almonds, garlic, Pecorino, basil, and mint (if using). Pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a paste forms.
Add the cherry tomatoes and blend again until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook the merguez sausage meat with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, until nicely caramelized and cooked through. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes.
Reserve about ⅓ cup (80 ml) of pasta water before draining.
In a large bowl, mix the reserved pasta water with the pesto. Add the hot pasta and toss well to coat.
Add more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Plate the pasta and top with more pesto, pieces of merguez sausage, and the fresh quartered cherry tomatoes.
So good.
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Bon appetit and enjoy!
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