Unlike the pesto from Liguria, made with basil and pine nuts, this pesto from Pantelleria includes ripe tomatoes. It’s a perfect sauce to make in the summer, when tomatoes are fresh.
1 pound ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 3/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig parsley
8 basil leaves
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Chili pepper, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
2. When the tomatoes are cool, peel, seed, and roughly chop them.
3. In a food processor or with a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic, olive oil, parsley, and basil until creamy.
4. Add the tomatoes, blending until creamy, and finish with salt, pepper, and chili pepper to taste.
Adapted from La cucina di Pantelleria. Text and recipes by Gianni Busetta, photos and graphics by Grazia Cucci, Arti Grafiche Campo di Alcamo, February 2011 With help from Chef Maurizio Billardello del Ristorante La Nicchia.
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