Busiate pasta is particular to western Sicily, specifically Trapani province. It’s special because it’s made to look like ringlets and when it is made by hand, it is created by wrapping the dough around knitting needles. It’s traditionally served with Trapanese style pesto; that is, a pesto made with garlic, some basil, some tomatoes, olive oil, and almonds. It’s very different from its cousin from Genoa, the green, basil pesto with which most Americans are familiar.

The Busiate pictured is made with pesto Trapanese. The pasta itself is made from a special ancient grain called tumminia only found in the Belice Valley near Castelvetrano. Such details of Sicily’s slow food–and more like them–will be experienced first hand in May 2016 on our Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller tour.

Want to know more about what this means? Tune in today to New York’s Channel 13 at 2 PM for Real Food with Mike Colameco when Melissa Muller takes him for Part Two of their food adventure through Sicily. On the show, we’re sure to get a taste of Sicily and what our May journey around the Island of the Sun will entail. Non vedo l’ora (I can’t wait)!