Casarecce Pasta with Sicilian Pesto (pesto alla Siciliana)

Step 1

Wash and peel the tomatoes (see post for how to peel tomatoes) Cut them in half and remove most the seeds and liquid. You can also use unpeeled tomatoes if you prefer. Peel the garlic. Wash the basil leaves and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

Step 2

Add the tomatoes to your blender or food processor and pulse a couple of times. Then add the garlic, pine nuts and Parmigiano. Pulse again a few times. Then add the basil leaves and a little olive oil. Pulse in short spurts to avoid heating the blender and ruining the basil. If your sauce seems too liquid, add more grated cheese.

Step 3

Pour the pesto into a bowl and add the ricotta and salt to taste. Mix the ricotta in with a fork. Store your pesto in an airtight jar in the fridge for 2-3 days or use immediately.

Step 4

Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Homemade casarecce take about 10-15 minutes depending on the size you make them. Test taste before draining.

Step 5

Save a cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and pour it back into the pot. Add the Sicilian pesto and mix well. If the sauce seems thick add some of the pasta cooking water. Serve immediately with more ricotta or grated cheese.