Pesto Trapanese

Ingredients

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes – halved
• 0.5 cups blanched almonds
• 2 cloves garlic – peeled
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves – loosely packed
• 0.5 cups pecorino cheese – finely grated
• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Set up a large mortar and pestle. If using a food processor instead, fit it with the metal blade.
2. Add the garlic and kosher salt to the mortar and pound to a smooth paste, about 1 minute, until fragrant and sticky.
3. Add the blanched almonds and crush to a coarse, sandy meal with a few small pieces remaining, 2–3 minutes; the mixture should start to cling together.
4. Add the fresh basil leaves and work them into a vivid green paste, 1–2 minutes, until the aroma is strong and the texture is cohesive but still rustic.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes and crush until their juices form a chunky, spoonable sauce, 1–2 minutes; avoid overworking to keep some small tomato pieces.
6. Stir in the pecorino cheese and extra-virgin olive oil until the sauce looks glossy and lightly thickened, 30–60 seconds.
7. Let the pesto rest 5 minutes for the flavors to meld, then use immediately or refrigerate up to 2 days. For pasta, toss with hot, just-cooked noodles, loosening as needed with a spoonful of pasta cooking water.
8. Food-processor option: Pulse garlic and salt to mince, add almonds and pulse to a coarse meal, add basil and pulse to a coarse paste, add tomatoes and cheese and pulse in short bursts to a chunky texture, then with the machine running briefly, stream in the oil just until combined.