Pesto with Different Variations in 4 Delicious Recipes

This week I made a different variation of the famous sauce known as pesto.  This made me want to write a little more about it, while also providing a few recipes so that others could also make it at home.  I didn’t try pesto for the first time until I was older.  (Of course, Italian food isn’t frequently found in Mexican kitchens).  I was taking a course in the culinary institute, and the first time I tried pesto, it was the original version.  It was a cold sauce, green in color, made with basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil.  This is easy to prepare and find the ingredients, but it wasn’t until it finally reached my mouth that I experienced the complexity of pesto.  Each one of its ingredients dances on the taste buds, opening it up to be used in a wide variety of recipes.  It was during these college years that I got the opportunity to experience pesto, and every once in a while, it made an appearance at my dinner table.

Pesto has its roots in Northern Italy.  It is claimed to be invented in Genoa, although similar sauces can be found in the Italian Peninsula dating back to the Roman Empire.   It seems as if this sauce didn’t even start to get popular in the West until the 80’s.  Although there is one recipe that is known worldwide, there are a wide variety of variations that have sprouted up.  These recipes deserve just as much time as the original version, and can include dehydrated tomatoes, almonds, olives, lemon zest, etc.  You can adapt each version to the ingredients found in each region.  And regarding their uses, well, like many sauces this depends on the guests, and whatever you dare to add it to.  But the most popular way of using it is to add amazing flavors to pasta, closely followed by its use in marinating meats, fish, or chicken, making delicacies out of your meals.  Without any further ado, I encourage you to participate in this Italian tradition by using the recipes listed below.  You can also alter them and share your results, as you see fit.  I also hope this gives you ideas to enrich and vary your diet.

Basil Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:

• ½ c. fresh basil leaves
• 4 Tbsp. pine nuts
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ c. olive oil
• ½ c. parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. large grain salt

Directions:

1. Clean and disinfect your basil leaves well.  Add to a processor.  If you don’t have a processor, use a blender.
2. Add the pine nuts and the remaining ingredients and mix until uniform and thick.
3. Adjust the flavor if you need to add any salt, add things according to taste.
4. The pesto can be stored in a hermetically sealed jar and stored in the fridge until you need to use it.  It can last for approximately 1 week.

Dehydrated Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

• ½ c. dehydrated tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 c. basil
• ½ c. grated parmesan cheese
• ½ c. toasted almonds
• ¼ c. olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 300 grams pasta, your choice

Directions:

1. Rough cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces so that they’re easier to blend.
2. Add the dehydrated tomatoes, basil, garlic cloves, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and toasted almonds, into a blender.  You can either remove the almond skins or leave them intact.
3. Add the salt and olive oil.  Blend into a fine, creamy paste.  Set aside.
4. In a pot large enough to boil pasta, add enough water and salt.  Don’t forget to season that water so that the pasta tastes good.
5. Add the pasta once the water is boiling, and cook to al dente.
6. Strain the pasta and mix with the pesto.  Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese and toasted almonds.

Basil and Strawberry Pesto

Ingredients:

• ½ c. fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ pecans
• ¼ c. olive oil
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 c. strawberries
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In the processor, add the basil leaves, pecans, garlic, and olive oil and mix into a thick paste.
2. Add the strawberries.  Don’t forget to remove the stems.  Add the lemon juice and zest.  Process once again until all ingredients are blended.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.  This pesto should be a little more liquid.
4. Store in the fridge in an air-tight jar, or use on pasta salads or recipes with fresh pasta.

Pistachio and Arugula Pesto

Ingredients:

• ½ c. arugula
• ¼ c. pistachios
• ½ c. parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ c. olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except for the salt to the blender.
2. Blend into a uniform and thick paste.  If you want the mixture to be more liquid, just add a bit more oil.
3. Salt to taste and store in a jar or use immediately on pasta.

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