Recipes › Pasta › Trofie al Pesto Recipe

Trofie al Pesto Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Trofie al pesto is a beloved Sicilian pasta dish featuring hand-rolled spiral noodles coated in vibrant basil pesto. This simple yet elegant preparation celebrates fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, and Pecorino Romano cheese in a bright, herbaceous sauce that requires no cooking beyond boiling the pasta.

Ingredients

• 400g trofie pasta (about 14 oz)
• 100g fresh basil leaves (about 3.5 oz)
• 50g pine nuts (about 1.75 oz), lightly toasted
• 50g Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1.75 oz), finely grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 120ml extra-virgin olive oil (about ½ cup)
• 30g potato (1 small potato, about 1 oz), diced
• 30g green beans (about 1 oz), cut into 1 cm pieces
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Coarse sea salt for pasta water

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add coarse sea salt (approximately 10g per liter of water).

2. While water heats, prepare the pesto by placing basil, minced garlic, and toasted pine nuts into a mortar. Pound gently with a pestle using circular motions until the basil is bruised and ingredients begin to release oils.

3. Add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese to the mortar and continue grinding gently until the mixture becomes a coarse paste, approximately 2-3 minutes.

4. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while grinding continuously, incorporating it gradually until the pesto reaches a creamy, spreadable consistency.

5. Add the diced potato and green bean pieces to the boiling salted water and cook for 3 minutes until the vegetables are nearly tender.

6. Add the trofie pasta to the same pot with the vegetables and cook for 9-10 minutes (or according to package directions) until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally.

7. Reserve 200ml (about ¾ cup) of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta and vegetables through a colander.

8. Return the drained pasta and vegetables to the warm pot (off heat) and add the pesto, tossing gently to coat all the pasta.

9. Add reserved pasta water in small increments (starting with 50ml) while tossing continuously until the sauce reaches a silky consistency that coats each strand without pooling excessively.

10. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Divide into four warmed bowls and serve immediately.

Substitutions

• Use Parmigiano-Reggiano instead of Pecorino Romano for a milder, creamier flavor
• Substitute walnuts for pine nuts if preferred; use equal weight and toast lightly before grinding
• Replace fresh basil with wild rocket (arugula) for a peppery variation, using 120g of leaves
• For a dairy-free version, omit cheese and use 180ml of olive oil instead, increasing the pasta water accordingly

Tips

• Use a mortar and pestle rather than a food processor to avoid bruising the basil leaves excessively, which releases bitter chlorophyll
• Toast pine nuts lightly in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before grinding to enhance their nutty flavor and prevent them from becoming pasty
• Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature and work quickly after adding the pesto to prevent the basil from oxidizing and darkening

Trofie al pesto originates from Sicily, particularly the Trapani region, where it represents one of Italy's most iconic pasta preparations. The hand-rolled trofie noodles are traditional to Southern Italy and their corkscrew shape perfectly traps the vibrant basil sauce.

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