Ainsley Harriott Pasta Alla Trapanese with Black Olive Mollica
Ainsley Harriott Pasta Alla Trapanese Recipe — Sicilian almond and tomato pesto tossed with short pasta and topped with crispy black olive breadcrumbs. From Ainsley's Taste of Malta on ITV. Ready in 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Large Pasta Pan
- Frying Pan
- Sieve
Ingredients
Trapanese Pesto and Pasta
- 325 g fresh vine cherry or baby plum tomatoes or peeled medium vine tomatoes
- 500 g busiate or cassarecce pasta or similar short pasta such as rigatoni or fusilli
- 70 g blanched almonds
- 1 clove of garlic peeled, up to 2 cloves if you prefer
- 25 g fresh basil leaves picked
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- 70 g pecorino cheese grated — or vegan Italian-hard cheese
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Maltese or Sicilian if possible
- 0.5 lemon for squeezing
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Black Olive Mollica
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 slices of white or wholegrain bread blitzed to a coarse crumb
- 1 small clove of garlic minced
- 50 g black olives pitted and chopped
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes
- 1 lemon zest only
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Pulse the tomatoes a couple of times in a food processor — enough to break them up but not purée them. Tip into a sieve set over a bowl and leave to drain for at least 5 minutes. Press gently if you're in a hurry. This removes the excess water that would otherwise make the Trapanese pesto thin and dull.
- Toast the blanched almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until lightly golden. Watch them closely — they burn quickly. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool completely before processing. Warm almonds make the pesto greasy.
- Add the cooled almonds to the food processor with a good pinch of salt and the garlic. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the drained tomatoes, basil, mint, and a drizzle of olive oil, then pulse until combined. With the motor running, drizzle in 4 tablespoons of olive oil to your preferred texture. Tip into a bowl, stir in the pecorino, and adjust with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 10–15 minutes to let the flavours develop.
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of generously salted boiling water until al dente. Before draining, scoop out a full cup of starchy pasta water and set it aside — you will need it.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the black olives, chilli flakes, and lemon zest, season, and stir together. Remove from the heat and stir through the fresh parsley. Use immediately.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pan over a low heat. Add the Trapanese pesto and toss for about a minute, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and coat every piece evenly. Serve immediately in warmed bowls with a generous scattering of the black olive mollica on top.
Notes
The mollica is the detail that makes this Pasta Alla Trapanese special — make it last and use it immediately. It loses its crunch within minutes, so never mix it into the pasta in advance. For a vegan version, simply replace the pecorino with a vegan Italian-hard cheese. The Trapanese pesto can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge with a layer of olive oil over the surface.