Pasta alla Trapanese

For the tomatoes

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tbsp salt.

2. Score a small cross on the bottom of each tomato and remove the cores.

3. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds to loosen the skins.

4. Transfer the tomatoes immediately into cold water using a slotted spoon or strainer basket.

5. Peel the skins off the tomatoes and roughly dice the flesh.

For the pesto

6. Cut the garlic clove in half and remove the green germ from the center.

   Removing the germ removes the bitter bite of raw garlic.

7. Roughly slice the garlic and place it into a food processor along with the diced tomatoes.

8. Add the slivered almonds, grated Pecorino, basil, and olive oil to the food processor.

9. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms a coarse, textured pesto.

   Do not blend until completely smooth; Trapanese pesto should retain small pieces of almond and tomato for texture.

For the pasta

10. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until just al dente.

    Then 9 min of waiting

For the sauce

11. Transfer the prepared pesto sauce to a large pan set over very low heat.

    Keep the heat low to warm the sauce gently without actually cooking it.

12. Season the warm pesto with salt and black pepper to taste.

13. Transfer the cooked spaghetti directly into the pan with the pesto using tongs.

14. Toss the pasta to combine, adding a splash of pasta cooking water and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to help coat the noodles.

15. Continue tossing until the sauce clings well to all the spaghetti.

To serve

16. Plate the pasta immediately and garnish with extra grated Pecorino, fresh basil leaves, a slice of warm tomato, and a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.