A bowl of pasta with trapanese pesto. This sauce never touches heat, relying on raw tomatoes, toasted almonds, basil, garlic, and pecorino for a bright, rich, and effervescent flavor without cooking.
Blend the almonds and garlic. Then add the tomatoes, olive oil, and basil – the texture should not be smooth. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and add the pecorino Romano, then set aside. Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. Before draining, reserve a cup of pasta water. Toss the hot, drained pasta directly with the pesto off the heat. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Finish with more pecorino and a little extra olive oil.
