Pesto can be made from basil, arugula or cilantro.
Pesto is an uncooked savory paste that is a staple in any Italian kitchen. It originated in Genoa, a city in Northern Italy and is traditionally made with basil leaves, olive oil, Pecorino cheese and pine nuts ground in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. Today, pesto that is manufactured for export from Genoa bears the designation D.O.P. -- Denominazione d'Origine Protetta -- meaning that it upholds ancient Genovese standards and uses the freshest locally grown produce. Though it's widely available commercially, pesto is very simple to make at home with a food processor or blender and your choice of ingredients.
Pesto pasta and pizza
A great deal of fans of Italian cuisine worship pesto as their go-to sauce for pasta. It is the perfect accompaniment for gnocchi -- potato pasta -- or spaghetti type dishes, endlessly adaptable and good for you. Create a rich yet simple Alfredo sauce by melting pesto with cream or milk in the microwave or over a low heat on the stove. Pesto is equally at home as a sauce for a simple homemade pizza with tomatoes and provolone.
Grilling and More
Pesto is also popular for marinating and grilling meat, especially fish, which it is delicate enough to not overpower. It also pairs naturally with chicken, cooked on a plank over fire or grilled. Some chefs prefer it for grilled shrimp as well. Just marinate seafood or poultry for an hour before grilling or slap it on with a brush while the meat sizzles. Pesto is nothing if not versatile -- Italian-American master chef Mario Batali swears by it as a spread, as a dip and for use anywhere a hit of flavor is needed. Use it as you would mayonnaise, creme fraiche, ketchup, tomato sauce or mustard. It can replace them with fewer calories and additives and do them one better in the taste department as well.
Variations on the pesto theme
Contemporary cooking is all about taking classic recipes and altering them in imaginative ways. Arugula pesto has a sharper taste. Cilantro or artichoke provide the base for a more pungent version. Mixed with mint or dill, pesto can provide yet another intriguing fusion of flavors. Almonds or cashews are sometimes substitute for more expensive pine nuts; Romano or Pecorino cheese can be swapped for Parmesan or cheese can be left out altogether for vegans or the lactose-intolerant.
Another modern take on this ancient paste uses red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes to create a brilliantly red pesto. Pesto keeps well frozen for up to six months. A useful trick of many chefs is to freeze small amounts in ice cube trays and then bag them, so you can defrost as needed and quickly add instant summer to a soup or pasta dish all winter long.
Make your own classic pesto
Here's an unfussy recipe for classic pesto from Giada De Laurentiis, the television host, author and expert in simple Italian cooking. In a blender or flood processor, pulse 2 cups of packed basil leaves, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, 1 peeled clove of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until all are finely chopped. While the machine is still running, slowly add 1/2 to 2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil until the mixture is smooth and thick. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and pulse. Season to taste. For a gluten/dairy free option, brown half the pine nuts for a deeper flavor and leave out the Parmesan.
Tags: pine nuts, basil leaves, classic pesto, Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese