Pesto Alla Trapanese with Braised Beans

Pesto alla trapanese is the lesser known of the pesto brothers, but just as lovely as his genovese sibling. Instead of pine nuts, the base is almonds, and you get some tomatoes and mint involved in the party too. It’s a really lovely summery pasta sauce, perfect for days when you don’t want to cook much. I do of course cook a little bit here, as olive oil-y braised beans make a very nice accompaniment.

Serves 1

110g runner beans

1 clove of garlic

100ml veg stock

30g almonds

80g cherry tomatoes 

1/2 bunch of basil leaves

10 mint leaves

15g parmesan

15g pecorino

100g casarecce

salt, pepper and olive oil

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the bowl.

2. Cut the tough ends off your runner beans, then slice them into diagonal pieces 4cm big. Peel and finely slice your garlic.

3. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a saute pan (probably about 4 tbsp), then add your garlic and cook gently on a low heat for a minute. Add your beans and a pinch of salt, then pour in your stock and pop a lid on the pan. Cook the beans for 10 minutes.

4. Toast your almonds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until they are golden. Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Cut your tomatoes into small chunks, then pop them into a bowl, and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Let them sit whilst you go back to the sauce.

6. Pop the almonds into a pestle and mortar and bash them up. They will form a crumb, but keep going until they are a paste.

7. Add your basil and mint to the almonds, and keep bashing until they too have broken down into the paste. Grate in your parmesan and pecorino, and bash these up in there too.

8. Strain the liquid off your tomatoes, then add the tomatoes themselves to the pestle and mortar. Bash them up into a sauce, then gradually drizzle in 50ml olive oil, mixing to emulisfy it.

9. Cook your casarecce until it is al dente - likely a few minutes less than the packet says.

10. Pour your sauce into your bean pan, and give it a good mix. Tip in your pasta, and give this a mix too. Check the seasoning, then spoon your pasta into a bowl. Enjoy!