And, of course, a little coarse salt and a dash of lemon juice and you are in Pesto Paradise… See it has a simple soul!! Yet green magic happens in my jar. Are you ready for this classic fresh taste of summer? A heaping spoonful of this vibrant, flavorful, green, nutty, garlicky sauce, your very own pesto. No store bought sauce will come close to the taste and freshness of your own… no chance!! Summer is here people, and it’s here to stay for a long time. It’s a gazillion degrees outside. But then this is the time when all my herbs come alive and seem to grow overnight, especially my beloved basil. He looks happy and seem to shout out to me… hey, c’mere and get me! That jarful of pesto starts dancing in front of my eyes. Why not, it is truly a celebration of this summery, sweet, pungent, aromatic plant. And just like that, pesto happens… it’s pesto night!
What is Pesto?
Pesto alla Genovese sounds so fancy and gourmet, right? Most of the time you find it in the gourmet section of the store. Don’t let it intimidate you, it’s just a quick blitz in your grinder of a few classic ingredients. That’s the basic idea behind this Italian sauce, which originated in Genoa, located in the northern region of Italy. The name comes from the Italian verb “pestare”, or the Genoese verb “pesta”, which means “to pound” or “to crush”. I love how this green sauce can be used in so many ways! I can drizzle it on pasta, spread it on sandwiches, or even use it to marinate things. It’s so fresh, made with basil leaves and good olive oil, and you can really taste that freshness. The flavors blend together so well, it feels like a little taste of Italy. The best part? It’s super easy to make. If I have a blender or food processor, I’m just a few quick steps away from homemade pesto! Traditionally, some Italian grandma would make this classic mix in her mortar and pestle. But come modern times, you can easily replicate this in your grinder or food processor with quick pulses. That same Italian grandma would scoff at some of the modern variations people started trying, with different herbs and greens and playing with different nuts and cheeses… equally delicious though. But today lets make that grandma happy and stick to classic basil pesto.
Ingredient Needed
Fresh Basil – Fresh, happy looking basil. If you don’t have it in your garden or kitchen already, you would find it a plenty in a farmer’s market or local produce store in summer time. Another way to find them is those potted plants in your grocery store. Chop him up for tonight, then let him grow for more pesto. Wash gently and pluck the leaves off the stem. Pine nuts – These give a nutty, buttery flavor to your pesto. You can also use walnuts for a more budget friendly option. Fresh whole garlic cloves – You only need a couple of them here, just enough to to get that sublime pungent note. Remember, you can always add more if you want, but can’t take it out. Cheese – When it comes to cheese, it’s up to you if you want to use Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano. Just one thumb rule to follow, pesto need hard, salty, aged cheese. Nothing creamy or soft here, you want some substance, chunkiness and a little texture. Olive oil – Some use extra virgin, some use a lighter olive oil. I use both, but today my mood and my pantry said extra virgin. Make sure you are using good quality oil for the best flavor. Coarse salt – Season it with your heart and be sure to taste and adjust. Lemon juice – A dash of this tanginess in your pesto really elevates it to the 100th degree. Try it with and without lemon juice, I bet you will always add lemon juice henceforth.
Pesto Genovese Recipe
This classic Mediterranean recipe is very, very simple…
Variations
Mix in other herbs and greens. In place of basil, or along with basil, add spinach, arugula, kale, parsley, or cilantro. It would give great varied taste to your pesto, depending which herb or greens you used. Our favorite is basil + arugula. No pricey pine nuts? No problemo. Some days I use walnuts, almonds (I would recommend blanching the almonds), pistachios, cashews. You want to know my favorite other than pine nuts? More buttery than pine nuts? Macadamia nuts! Boy, that’s yum pesto! Want to go nut-free? Use pepita (pumpkin seeds) or hemp seeds. Experiment with cheeses. Any hard cheese would do. How about some Asiago??
Serving Suggestions
Anything that needs a little zest or flavor enhancement, pesto is your answer. I love it so much that I have all sorts of pesto recipes here on GypsyPlate. Give them a try! Some more ideas…
On a flatbread pizza. Pesto Alfredo. As a dipping sauce. As a marinade (you can thin this with more olive oil) for your grilled or baked meats. On top of your grilled or baked meats… and even fish, yum. On roasted veggies. As a sauce or condiment for sandwiches, wraps, salads, pasta salads, gnocchi, zucchini noodles, crostini and so so many things…
Alpana’s Tips
Choose Quality Ingredients: Opt for the best to make each element shine. Toast the Pine Nuts: Brings out nutty flavors, but watch for burning. Stream the Oil: Add slowly while blending for a creamier texture. Adjust to Taste: Tweak salt, garlic, and lemon to suit your palate. Fresh Lemon Juice: Always go for freshly squeezed!
Leftovers and Storage
Refrigerate. I refrigerate the pesto, which keeps best for up to 5-6 days in a sealed, airtight container. To prevent it from turning brown, I pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top to cover the surface of the sauce. Alternatively, I sometimes press cling plastic wrap directly onto the pesto to keep it fresh. Freeze. This freezes beautifully! You can freeze in large batches if need be. But I like to freeze it in smaller portions so we can use it several times, even when summer is past and basil is not readily available. For this, freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and, once frozen, take them out and store these cubes in a freezer bag and freeze them till you are craving for pesto time. Isn’t that enough to make you want your own jar? What are you waiting for? Hunt down the ingredients for this amazingly versatile sauce and get blitzing in your chopper. Once you have homemade Genovese Pesto, it’s pretty much destined… you are never going back to store bought! It’s simply not going to do it for you!! 🙂
Pesto alla Genovese, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Check out these other great sauces and seasonings!Cuban Mojo MarinadeHomemade SofritoNorth African ChermoulaCreole MustardRemouladeChipotle MayoCilantro Mint ChutneyJamaican Jerk MarinadeGuasacaca (Venezuelan Guacamole)
