Have you ever been to an Italian restaurant and seen a plate of vibrant green pasta and thought to yourself, “what is that?”
That creamy, flavorful sauce is known as pesto and has been around since the 16th century.
The classic sauce is traditionally made by combining basil, garlic, pine nuts, grated cheese, typically pecorino or parmesan and olive oil.
It can be paired with pasta, soups and, nowadays, it’s even seen on pizza or sandwiches.
The dish is originally from Genoa, a city in Italy, and has remained a staple due to its simple ingredients and short preparation time. The vibrant taste of basil combined with the other ingredients also makes for a unique dish bursting with delicious aromas and flavors.
When done correctly, this sauce is honestly delicious enough to eat on its own, but my personal favorite preparation is with a fresh plate of pasta!
If you’d like to make this dish for yourself, follow the steps below.
Recipe
- There are three main ways to prepare pesto: in a pestle and mortar, in a blender and in a food processor. The best method is in a pestle and mortar as it brings out all the natural flavors and aromas and does not break down the sauce too much, but if you do not have access to this, a simple food processor or blender will do. Tip: A food processor may be better as you can pulse the sauce at your own speed instead of just blending it all at once. The dish can lose flavor this way.
- If using a pestle and mortar, add all of your dry ingredients and slowly begin breaking them all down. When everything is incorporated, slowly begin adding the olive oil and mix until you have your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Optionally, after this step, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice to preserve the color of your pesto. Set aside.
- If using a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients to the container and pulse or blend until completely smooth. Taste for salt and pepper. Again, you may optionally add a squeeze of lemon juice and set aside.
- Now that the pesto is ready, you can save it for a later recipe or use it now (It is best to keep it in a sealed mason jar).
- If you want to turn this pesto into a past dish, you can boil your pasta to al dente, making sure to set aside about a cup of starchy pasta water.
- When the pasta is ready, drain it and transfer to a bowl. Tip: You do not want to mix the pesto on the hot stove as this can cause the basil to brown.
- Add your desired amount of pesto and mix thoroughly.
- Plate and top with extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan and fresh basil.
- Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil, packed tightly
- 2 tbsp pinenuts (cashews or walnuts can be used here to as a cheaper alternative!)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves (depending on how strong of a garlic flavor you’d like!)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Squeeze of lemon juice, optionally (to preserve pesto color)
- Pasta, to serve
- Pasta water, to serve
- Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
- Grated parmesan, to serve
- Fresh basil leaves, to serve
