Spaghetti con Pesto alla Siciliana (Sicilian Pesto Spaghetti)

This flavoursome Italian pesto recipe is made with sun-dried tomatoes, basil & almonds. It coats spaghetti like a comforting hug.

SPAGHETTI CON PESTO ALLA SICILIANA

Pasta sounds so much more interesting in Italian, doesn't it?

Maybe I need to have all my pasta recipes translated into Italian to make them more beguiling.

I'm very excited by this particular pasta dish. When you read the recipe, you will see how simple it is, but boy does it pack a punch.

As I'm writing about it my mouth is watering and my stomach is grumbling.

Not such a bad thing you may be thinking, go whip up a bowl, but alas it is actually breakfast time here in Scotland, so maybe I should wait.

GINO'S PASTA

I found this recipe in a rather fabulous cookbook called Gino's Pasta by Gino D'Acampo.

Gino, a tv chef here in the UK, grew up on a farm in Torre del Greco, Naples and inherited his love of cooking from his grandfather or his nonno Giovanni as he called him.

His grandfather, a head chef, taught gino to cook and he soon realised it was to be his life's work.

He trained in a traditional catering college in Italy, then travelled Europe, working in many kitchens, before meeting his English wife and settling down in London.

SICILIAN PESTO SPAGHETTI

Back to the pasta.

Gino says that this is a dish that can be found in every cookbook in Italy, but his will guarantee maximum satisfaction.

I can concur. My husband and toddler love it too and my brother-in-law pronounced it "Amazing!".

The sauce coats the pasta beautifully and has a lovely texture. It is indeed very satisfying.

SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO

The luscious sauce that coats this pasta so beautifully is a full-bodied tomato pesto.

The intense flavour of sundried tomatoes is blended with almonds and basil for the most heavenly flavour.

ALMONDS

For the best results you want skinned almonds.

If you buy almonds with the skins on like those in my photo, you can blanch them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water.

Pat the almonds dry on a clean tea towel then simply slide the skins off.

You can of course buy almonds which are pre-skinned.

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MORE SPAGHETTI RECIPES TO TRY

• Grilled Aubergine, Asparagus & Chilli Spaghetti
• Kale & Cashew Pesto Spaghetti
• Quick Red Pepper & Olive Spaghetti Sauce
• Simple Spaghetti with Olives
• Spaghetti & Beanballs
• Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Spaghetti
• Vegan Aubergine 'Meatballs' for Spaghetti
• Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Sicilian, Italian pasta, Italian pesto, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, sundried tomato pesto, pasta, pasta sauce

dinner

Italian

Yield: 4-6

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum with kind permission

Print

Sicilian Pesto Spaghetti

A flavoursome Italian pesto recipe made with sun-dried tomatoes, basil & almonds. It coats spaghetti like a comforting hug.

Prep time: 5 MCook time: 12 MTotal time: 17 M

Ingredients:

• 50g skinned almonds
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 150g sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• extra virgin olive oil as required
• 80g freshly grated Parmesan (veggie or vegan)
• 500g wholewheat spaghetti
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan with plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. 
2. 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.
3. Place the basil and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor with the garlic.
4. As you start to blitz, pour in enough oil to create a smooth paste.
5. Add the almonds and continue to blitz until creamy. Add more oil if necessary.
6. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and use a fork to fold in the Parmesan cheese.
7. Season with salt & pepper and set aside.
8. 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.
9. Serve immediately, with a few basil leaves scattered on top.
10. Enjoy!

Notes:

For the best results you want skinned almonds.
If you buy almonds with the skins on you can blanch them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water. Pat the almonds dry on a clean tea towel then simply slide the skins off.
This pesto can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Calories
461.50

Fat (grams)
21.59

Sat. Fat (grams)
4.91

Carbs (grams)
53.07

Fiber (grams)
5.28

Net carbs
47.79

Sugar (grams)
2.01

Protein (grams)
17.08

Sodium (milligrams)
603.36

Cholesterol (grams)
17.20

Created using The Recipes Generator

Disclosure Statement: I did not receive this book free from the publisher to review. I borrowed this book from the library and gained permission from the publisher to print the recipe. The opinions I have expressed are my own.