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This recipe is really unique. It is called Sicilian pesto sauce but it’s not the famous pesto trapanese (even if ingredients are very similar) and it is obviously not the renowned pesto genovese with basil. It is a pesto sauce created by Mamma Carmela, a lady who used to have a lovely little Trattoria in Palermo. Her husband and her run that place for more than 40 years. There they met actors, singers and thousands of tourists who went to taste her typical dishes.
Her Trattoria was renowned for the Sicilian dishes and the familiar way of cooking them, infact going there was like having lunch at home. Last year unfortunately after a gas explosion this restaurant was destroyed and Mamma Carmela with her family decided not to continue the activity with a new one, being already in advanced age.
Exclusively for the Sicilian Cuisine Blog her daughter Patrizia gave me the recipe of her famous special pesto and we also did a short video. This is the way I want to remember the lovely evenings spent at their trattoria. Thank you so much!
Ingredients & preparation for 4-6 people:
6-7 big tomatoes – 2 cloves of garlic – fresh mint – fresh basil – 50 gr almonds – half of a dried red pepper – salt – sunflower oil or olive oil (about a glass). She used to put sunflower oil because “it was a bit lighter” – she said.
1. Wash the tomatoes, the basil and the mint.
2. Put all the ingredients together in the blender, just like shown in the video here on the right.
2. Put all the ingredients together in the blender, just like shown in the video here on the right.
Now: if you want to eat it with pasta, just prepare it as usual, drain it and place it in a bowl, mixing the pesto with the pasta well, and serving straight away.
If you want to use it for bruschettas, toast your sliced bread (better if the rustic type) and put the pesto on top of the toasted slices.
It will be a scrumptious starter for your guests with such a strong character!
*Warning: This pesto is really strong, so careful because it is going to be hot and tasty! Just try and see for yourselves!
Thanks to Patrizia Laria for the video editing.
2 Comments
Thank You for this. I join you To remember mamma Carmela Her husband And Her daughter and a Place which was unique!
Ornella Cogliolo
Thank you so much Ornella for taking the time to read this article and write a comment. You are right, it was a unique place and it is very sad that we can't go there anymore, but I believe it will still live inside our hearts!