As summer draws to a close and autumn approaches, Italians get to work preparing some of their favorite warm-weather ingredients to last a little longer. In Sicily, this means sun-drying their tomatoes and turning them into a versatile pesto that will last for months.
Capuliato Siciliano is a delicious condiment, made with sun-dried tomatoes and just a few extra ingredients for flavor. It’s easy to make in a big batch, will last a long time in the fridge, and can be used to spice up (or even create whole cloth) any number of delicious dishes with little to no effort or time.
How to Grind the Sun-Dried Tomatoes
The best, most traditional way to make capuliato is to grind the tomatoes using a meat grinder. This ensures the perfect texture: not too coarse but not too fine. You don’t need a fancy, electric grinder; a simple and affordable hand-crank meat grinder will work just fine.
An alternative method is to use a normal food processor. If you go this route, chop the ingredients in small batches and do so by pulsing the machine. Take care not to chop the tomatoes too fine, they shouldn’t be pulverized into dust.
How to Use Capuliato Siciliano
There are infinite ways to use this sun-dried tomato pesto. You can mix it with some olive oil to make a spread for sandwiches or a salad dressing, you can thin it with some hot pasta water to make a pasta sauce, you can add a few spoonfuls into a soup or sauce for extra flavor, or even just use it as a topping for a simple meat dish. Check out the video below for some ideas!
Be aware that the pesto is intentionally unsalted, so be sure to salt it to taste if making a sauce or topping out of it.
Storing Capuliato Siciliano
The only important thing to remember is that the pesto should always be covered in a layer of extra-virgin olive oil on top. Every time you scoop some out from the jar, press the remainder flat and cover with a layer of olive oil.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video:
CAPULIATO SICILIANO RECIPE
Makes: About 750 ml of pesto
Cook Time: 45 minutes
For this recipe, you will need:
2 pounds (900 g) sun-dried tomatoes
About 10 fresh basil leaves (optionally, keep some extra on hand for layering in the jar)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 fresh or dry chili peppers (optional)
Dried oregano (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Using a meat grinder, grind the sun-dried tomatoes into a large mixing bowl using a coarse setting. As the tomatoes grind, periodically add some of the basil, garlic, and chili peppers into the grinder as well. When all of the tomatoes are processed, give them a stir to evenly mix in the herbs and peppers.
Begin filling a 1 liter, wide mouth jar with the tomato mix. As you add the tomatoes into the jar, press them down very firmly with a spoon or other long pressing implement (if your meat grinder came with a pressing mallet, that’s perfect). The tomatoes need to be very compact to eliminate air in the jar.
When the pressed tomatoes reach about 2 inches (5 cm) high in the jar, you can optionally add a sprinkle of oregano and 1 to 2 basil leaves before continuing to add tomatoes. Keep layering a couple inches of tomatoes, followed by basil and oregano, until all of the tomato mix is pressed into the jar.
Finish the capuliato with one last sprinkle of oregano and some basil. Fill with olive oil to completely cover all, then wait about 15 minutes. If the olive oil soaks down into the tomatoes, keep adding a little more to keep the tomatoes covered.
Capuliato siciliano will last in the fridge for several months. Be sure that, every time you use some, to press the remainder flat in the jar and cover again with olive oil.
Buon appetito!