One of my favorite condiments for pasta is pesto. Pesto is traditionally made from basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmigiano cheese, and extra virgin olive oil. It is one of my go to recipes, especially in the summer. It involves a few ingredients and no cooking! There are many variations, and they are all great. One of my favorites is pesto Trapanese. This pesto, born in Sicily, is an absolute must. It is fresh, fast and FABulous!

When I make this, I measure nothing. I literally use a handful of unsalted almonds (roasted or not), a handful of fresh basil leaves, and two handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes. Place in the bowl of a food processor.

Season with salt and pepper. Also add a generous handful or two of freshly grated Parmigiano…which I forgot to do last night….cooking with a headache…UGH! Process until combined. With the machine running, I also add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil…only enough to loosen the pesto and make it a bit less chunky. That’s it!

Cook your pasta and add the pesto. Mix well, and at this point don’t be shy about adding another good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and an even better dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano.

I do reserve a cup of cooking water to thin out the pesto if needed.

Although I am not a huge fan of summer….the love I have for summer cooking is real.

Buon appetito!