The most important thing you need to know about pesto is that it doesn’t always have to be Pesto Genovese (pine nuts, garlic, basil, olive oil).  The word itself has a Latin root and comes from the word pestle - apt because, in its simplest form, pesto is made by crushing the ingredients together in a pestle and mortar. There are 2 types of pesto,  alla genovese and alla siciliana.  Pesto alla genovese is made with garlic, salt, extra virgin olive oil, pecorino Sardo cheese and Genovese basil. (a member of the basil family).The pesto alla siciliana is similar, but uses tomatoes and less basil.

SPAGHETTI CON PESTO ALLA TRAPPANESE

Ingredients

• 500 grams (or thereabouts) small Rosa tomatoes, flattened with the palm of your hand to remove excess juice or alternatively, roasted in the oven for a little while for a heavenly flavour and less juice!
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 150 g basil
• Plenty of Extra Virgin olive oil
• Plenty of good pecorino cheese
• 1 Aubergine (eggplant), cut into cubes
• 350 g spaghetti  (it’s a bit more (100 g) than half of the packets that you get nowadays, but remember that it depends on how much sauce you like, so experiment over and over again!)
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• Olive oil for frying
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Also remember that these quantities are merely indicative – please feel free to use what you have.
• There are no rigid rules here, cook from your heart and your soul and your food will always bring pleasure and joy!
• You do need a pestle and a mortar – your food processor will work, but it will never be quite the same.
• Pound the tomatoes, garlic and basil with extra virgin olive oil until you have formed a paste.  That’s it.
• Fry the aubergines and the potatoes in the olive oil, place on a paper towel and set aside.
• Boil the spaghetti – I showed you earlier in a Basically …. recipe how to do it well.
• Toss the spaghetti, in the pesto.
• Top with the fried aubergines and fried potatoes and end with loads of pecorino.
• You may substitute parmesan for the pecorino.

Serve with a good Sicilian red wine – just to get in the spirit of things.