Pesto

In Italy I think they only consider the basil pesto as pesto. I had a pesto lasagna in Liguria and it was wonderful. The other pesto, sun dried tomato and chilli, rocket, roasted pepper or coriander ones are created for consumers as additional sauces. I don't think you will find them in Italy in the local store though, more likely in the supermarkets in the UK.
 
Hey, did you guys know you can make pesto at home? I had no idea you can prepare your own sauce like you prepare preserves for winter!

A colleague of mine decided to cook lunch for a few of us this Sunday, and he made spaghetti with pesto sauce. I thought he bought the pesto at the supermarket, as I always do (I usually buy a small jar every now and then), but then he put 2 plastic containers on the table... I asked him what they were and he said he put the pesto his wife made in them. It was deliciously good! A lot better than the one you buy, and it didn't even have garlic in it :D Or, if it did, it was just a hint of garlic, 'cause I didn't feel the need to chew gum after lunch :P

I'm gonna look for a homemade pesto recipe these days, even if from what I understand, the season is over. You can still find basil, but it's not as good as what you could find a few weeks ago. This is another new thing for me :P

The Italian cuisine is so interesting :) And I have so much more to learn, it's so exciting :)
 
Yes, most Italians would never buy pesto as they all make it themselves. Some add rocket to make a pesto instead of basil and you can add more pine nits when it is homemade. A spinach pesto with some garlic is a nice combination to try as well. Gnocchi with pesto is also a good dish to try, either as a sauce or inside the gnocchi.
 
Technically anything crushed with mortar and pestle till smooth is " pesto "
Green Pesto Genovese is the most famous and commercialized one, but Genoans make a white pesto with walnuts too, called " salsa di noci "
Crossing the ligurian mountains to the emilian side you might find a walnut and wild apple pesto.
Then the rocket or mint pesto from Tuscany and Lazio.
Red pestos are variations of the basic dried tomato sauce from southern Italy.
 
My variation of the pesto is to stir a packet of it into about a cup of cream and use that as a sauce for pasta.... It is so good!

Pesto is quite expensive here so a cup of cream (especially when I have visitors) helps to make it go further.
 
I am absolutely addicted to Pesto. I had no idea that there was more then one kind of Pesto. I love Pesto Pasta. Pesto is the best!
 
The shops here in the UK generally only stock green or red pesto but there are many other varieties and it so easy to make your own. I have recipes for coriander pesto, walnut pesto and parsley pesto all three of which are delicious and have distinct flavours.

I love to mix pesto with natural yogurt or creme fraiche for a simple but delicious pasta sauce.
 
I believe that people make many types of spreads and call it pesto, but true pesto is made with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. I love Basil and Pesto itself, but I don't attempt to make it myself because as simple as it may seem, I have not found a recipe with the right measurements which makes it good.
 
Regina Juno said:
I believe that people make many types of spreads and call it pesto, but true pesto is made with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. I love Basil and Pesto itself, but I don't attempt to make it myself because as simple as it may seem, I have not found a recipe with the right measurements which makes it good.
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What that Regina said is true. The pesto is a tipical food of the Liguria. Does not exist a standard mode for do it but we need mix the good quality ingredients. Basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese; someone also puts a bit of garlic....but when we not will a romantic meet more later.
 
I love red pesto! Tastes amazing with goat cheese. And normal basil pesto is of course awesome. Love it in pork meatballs, or simply mixing pesto with mayo to have a great dip for my fries :) Mixing it with yogourt or cream (I'd try it with sour cream! :O ) sounds like a less fat alternative, though. Have to try this soon!
 
You could also try using pesto in a salad with some olive oil instead of salad dressing. I prefer it so i can control the consistency as I don't like them too runny. Alternatively try mixing it with some mayonnaise for a topping on potatoes or in scrambled eggs. I also mix it with tomato paste to saute vegetables so then I don't need to season them. Another idea is to mix it with hummus as well for a sandwich filling or as a dip with tortillas.
 
Gabe said:
You could also try using pesto in a salad with some olive oil instead of salad dressing. I prefer it so i can control the consistency as I don't like them too runny. Alternatively try mixing it with some mayonnaise for a topping on potatoes or in scrambled eggs. I also mix it with tomato paste to saute vegetables so then I don't need to season them. Another idea is to mix it with hummus as well for a sandwich filling or as a dip with tortillas.
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Does it really mix well with tomato paste? I have it out of a tube and the way it comes out looks like it just does not want to mix with other stuff!

Speaking of pesto, OP, it's also nice to just put some basil in a jar of olive oil. It's a nice and subtle flavor, less pronounced than pesto, but great for making tomato salads and others!
 
Joie d'Etre said:
Does it really mix well with tomato paste? I have it out of a tube and the way it comes out looks like it just does not want to mix with other stuff!
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It does, but add some olive oil to it if it's concentrated tomato paste and it works well. It's my ad hoc pasta sauce when I don't have any and works with cold or hot pasta. I find it is better hot and then you can leave the dish to cool later for a pasta salad or something.
 
I like making my own pesto at home. It's not exactly traditional, but then I like to experiment with different ingredients and taste sensations. My pesto consists of ground pine nuts, parsley, olive oil and goats cheese. I love it with spaghetti and with baked vegetables. There are endless variations that I have tried out, such as using coriander, walnuts, chili, soy cream, and other ingredients. I love pesto. :)
 
I only know of basil (green) pesto. But, as much as I love pesto, I can't eat it because it makes me sick for some reason. Which is so strange, because I'm not allergic to basil or Parmesan? So I've always said, it's just the combination of the two that make me sick.
 
Hermann said:
Maybe you are allergic to nuts ?
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...You know what, that might actually be it. I totally forgot about the pine nuts in pesto. Now that I think of it, I can't really eat peanuts, almonds or cashews. I mean, I can eat a small amount, but too much and I get sick. :eek: Huh. Guess I might actually be allergic to nuts. Thank you for pointing that out Hermann!
 
You can make your own pesto without nuts, here is a recipe.
I have had pesto without pine nuts and to be honest it doesn't taste that different, though I'm not sure if you can find it commercially. I had mine in a vegan restaurant and I wouldn't have known if they hadn't told me what was in it.
 
There are many different kinds of pesto. I personally stick to the normal green one, I like to keep it simple. However, there are red pepper ones, chilli ones, and I even read somewhere about someone making a cross between hummus and pesto (not something I'd personally want to try). I think the main two pesto types are green and red though, although many people create other more interesting creations.
 
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