Easy and Fast Sicilian Pesto Pasta with fried capers

This recipe for Sicilian Pesto Pasta is so simple, it can come together in under 30 minutes. It is fresh, it is lively and it is delicious.

I came across a recipe for Pesto alla Trapanese recently and decided to adapt it, garden to table style! For a detailed recipe on how to make this delicious Sicilian pesto itself, make sure to check out my dedicated blog post on this topic.

The pesto on its own is quite versatile, but when paired with delicious and satisfying pasta, the angels sing, the birds chirp and rainbows appear. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, but trust me when I say, this will be your go to summer recipe. An excellent way to use up all those cherry tomatoes your garden is throwing your way.

Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need:

• Pasta of your choice. Linguine or Tagliatelle will work nicely.
• Sicilian Pesto
• Capers
• Breadcrumbs
• Olive Oil
• Flatleaf Italian Parsley
• lemon juice and zest
• Salt and pepper

Method

• In a large pot with salted water, boil pasta as per package instructions. If you are using fresh pasta, make sure to taste and check the doneness of your pasta. Fresh pasta can overcook quite easily.
• While your pasta is boiling, prepare the garnish. In a small frying pan on medium heat, add olive oil and then capers. Fry the capers for 3-4 minutes. Add breadcrumbs, toss and continue to fry for 2-3 more minutes You're looking for a nice and toasty mixture.

• Remove frying pan from heat, add parsley and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• When your pasta is ready, drain it in a sieve and reserve one cup of water. Return drained pasta to pot and add the Sicilian pesto. Toss vigorously to combine. Use the reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce to your desired consistency.
• Plate pasta, add your fried caper and breadcrumb topping and serve with a wedge of lemon.

PRO TIP: If you are making this dish for a party, you can prepare you garnish in advance. It can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Substitutions and variations

As with any pasta dish, I encourage you to experiment and make it your own. Here are a few simple switches you can make:

• Swap out the parsley for basil
• If you're not sure about the capers, omit them. The fried breadcrumb mix is delicious on its own.
• Grilled shrimp or calamari will turn this into a hearty and satisfying meal

Storage

Leftover pasta should be refrigerated for no more than a day or two. Personally I do not recommend refrigerating cooked pasta as it will turn gummy and mushy, but that's a personal choice.

Make sure to try some of my other pasta recipes: Beef Bolognese, Mushroom Pappardelle and Short Rib Ragu.

Recipe Card

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