Pesto is freshly made from basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic as well as olive oil a classic recipe of Italian cuisine. Pesto is tasty as well as quick as well as easy to prepare. In the meantime, both the classic pesto as well as different variations such as Pesto Rosso or Pesto Bärlauch have conquered the German kitchen. Whether with pasta, meat, asparagus or even potatoes, pesto is an ideal addition as well as alternative to sauces.
Pesto: origin and history
Pesto is translated from Italian as “to crush” and “to pound”, so the name of this specialty is derived from the traditional preparation with the crushing by a mortar. Although a blender can be used instead of a mortar, it may then be beneficial to add an ice cube when preparing pesto. The ice cube can prevent the ingredients from gaining temperature through the blender. This is because basil in particular can lose its original flavor when the temperature is increased.
Health benefits from the olive oil
Even if crushing with a mortar is more laborious than with a blender, it is worth it. Because this is the best way to preserve the valuable ingredients and flavors of the ingredients. Because pesto is not only a treat for the palate, the entire body can benefit from the ingredients. Due to the olive oil as well as the pine nuts, pesto contains a variety of unsaturated fatty acids, which can strengthen the cardiovascular system as well as possibly reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Make pesto yourself
For a classic pesto recipe, the following ingredients are needed. These ingredients can also be easily varied depending on preference and taste to include an individual touch.
- 4 – 5 bunch basil
- 1 – 2 cloves of garlic
- 100 g pine nuts
- 100 g cheese (of which 50 g Parmesan, 50 g Pecorino).
- 180 ml virgin olive oil
- Coarse sea salt
First grate the cheese, mix both types together and set aside in a small bowl. Wash basil, as well as gently dry, chop. Mince the garlic cloves. Fry pine nuts in a pan until golden. Crush basil and garlic with a mortar. Add oil in portions. Season to taste with salt. Tip for the recipe when serving the pesto with pasta: Collect a small amount of the pasta water, mix with pasta as well as pesto and serve.
Pesto: pasta alla genovese
The classic pesto recipe is also called pasta alla genovese because it originated in Genoa. Near Genoa, around the fishing village of Camogli, pesto alla genovese is most often varied with beans and potatoes. For this, the basic recipe for pesto is used, and in addition beans and potatoes are cooked until done. A type of pasta of your choice is prepared al dente and placed in an ovenproof casserole dish with the cooked pasta and beans, and the freshly prepared pesto is mixed in. The casserole is baked in a preheated oven at 150 to 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 to 20 minutes.
So pesto tastes delicious for a long time
So that homemade pesto can be served with many meals, it should always be covered with enough oil. Pesto can be kept fresh for up to four weeks in a tightly sealed jar stored in the refrigerator. As soon as pesto is removed from the pesto jar, oil should be added again to extend shelf life. To prevent pesto from acquiring a bitter taste, it is advisable to use a mild as well as virgin olive oil. If the olive oil has a bitter taste, the whole pesto will taste bitter. It is best to use large basil leaves to prepare pesto, as they are more intense in flavor than small basil leaves. By the way, homemade pesto is also great as a gift.
Pesto is versatile: Pesto Rosso
Pesto can be prepared in many different variations. In addition to the classic variant, Pesto Rosso is also very popular. This red pesto is made from dried tomatoes, garlic, parmesan, pecorino, olive oil as well as salt. By the way, pesto can also be prepared vegan. For this, simply omit the cheese, instead adding a larger amount of pine nuts to maintain the consistency. In general, there are no limits to the imagination in the preparation of pesto, you are welcome to use local herbs depending on the season.Thus, in Germany, wild garlic has become a popular ingredient for pesto.
Wild garlic pesto: recipe with barley smoke
In addition to the classic recipe for pesto, a number of creative new recipes also exist. Often and gladly with wild garlic. As an example of one of these pesto recipes with wild garlic is Tagliatelle with wild garlic pesto for four people. The following ingredients are needed:
- 250 g wild garlic
- A few leaves of parsley and basil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 250 g grated Parmesan and / or pecorino cheese
- 300 g pine nuts
- 450 ml virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Sea salt
- 500 g tagliatelle
- 250 g turkey strips
Prepare wild garlic pesto from wild garlic, parsley, basil, garlic, cheese as well as olive oil (see classic pesto recipe). Season to taste with lemon juice. Meanwhile, cook pasta until done, drain. Fry turkey strips, add to tagliatelle along with pesto. Enjoy your meal!
