Sicilian Pesto Spaghetti Food

SICILIAN PESTO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large saucepan with plenty of boiling salted water until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, place the almonds in a frying pan over a medium heat and toast until golden brown all over. Set aside to cool.
• Place the basil and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor with the garlic.
• As you start to blitz, pour in enough oil to create a smooth paste.
• Add the almonds and continue to blitz until creamy. Add more oil if necessary.
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and use a fork to fold in the Parmesan cheese.
• Season with salt & pepper and set aside.
• Drain the cooked pasta well and tip into the bowl with the pesto. Mix everything together for 30 seconds to allow the pesto to coat the spaghetti.
• Serve immediately, with a few basil leaves scattered on top.
• Enjoy!

SICILIAN TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Heat a dry, medium skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• Combine the cooled almonds, tomatoes, basil, parsley, mint, red pepper flakes, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse, adding a little bit of the oil at a time, until everything is finely chopped and emulsified. Add the Parmesan and pulse to incorporate. Season with salt to taste.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the toasted baguette slices. Any leftover pesto can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

SPAGHETTI WITH SICILIAN PESTO

Steps:

• Roast pepper over a gas flame, turning, until blackened, about 8 minutes. (Or blacken under broiler.) Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove skin, stem, ribs, and seeds. Tear into 2-inch pieces. Puree in a blender with tomatoes, anchovies, capers, raisins, almonds, cheese, and oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
• Add pepper mixture, then reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until sauce evenly coats pasta. Serve, topped with cheese, almonds, and parsley, and drizzled with oil.

PASTA CON PESTO SICILIANO

Steps:

• Thinly slice the eggplant and sprinkle slices with salt. Let stand for about 30 minutes and then dry eggplant on clean kitchen or paper towels.
• Heat about 1-inch of oil in a large saute pan to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, chop the garlic and basil, slowly adding 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil to incorporate well. Stir in the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and almonds and set aside.
• When oil is hot, fry eggplant slices, in batches, in hot oil until light golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente; drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Toss the pasta with the pesto, adding as much cooking liquid as necessary. Add fried eggplant slices and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and grated cacciocavallo, if desired. Serve.
• Pasta:
• 3 cups flour "00" or fine ground semolina
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• Place the flour on the counter or in a large bowl. Stir in the salt and make a well. Beat the 3 eggs in the center of the well, and slowly incorporate all the flour. Knead until smooth and then let rest for about 30 minutes. Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thick and then cut into desired shape.

SICILIAN-STYLE PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to pack instructions. Blend together the almonds, cheese, most of the basil and all of the olive oil in a food processor until they form a chunky paste. Drain pasta, then stir through pesto and tomatoes.
• Spoon onto serving plates, then serve sprinkled with the remaining basil leaves.