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Tuesday, August 15. 2023

Some types of Pesto, reposted


I told you that in Sicily last Spring we had Parsley Pesto (with grilled swordfish) and Pistachio Pesto (with grilled pork), but we never saw a Basil Pesto. They do love their Pistachios in Sicily - they use them with everything. We brought a small, overpriced jar of pistachio pesto home, but it's fairly easy to make.


"Pesto" means something that is pestado - pounded or ground up, as in English "pestle and "paste" or French "pate". Walnut-Parsley is a popular combination. Also, fresh mint pesto. The Cuisinart is what made Pesto easy. 


More: Move out of the way, basil. Cheese + nuts + olive oil + garlic + whatever the hell you want = awesome pesto.


Pesto is for seafood, vegetables, noodles.  


Posted by Bird Dog in Food and Drink at 14:04 | Comments (15) | Trackbacks (0)

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I really regret I didn't bring back more pistachios from Bronte, near Mt. Etna. they had a unique taste that I just don't get in pistachios available here
#1 peter on 2014-10-17 15:29 (Reply)
I made a very tasty pesto from some of the green tops of the organic carrots from my CSA basket last year. Now I don't remember which recipe I used. It may have been this one, or I may have just used a basic basil pesto recipe and substituted the carrot greens, instead.

http://www.culinate.com/books/collections/all_books/roots/carrot_top_pesto
#2 Kurt on 2014-10-17 18:24 (Reply)
I have a container of sage-walnut pesto in the fridge right now. The basil was done for the season so I had to improvise. What would a mint pesto be good on?
#3 Robin H on 2014-10-17 20:27 (Reply)
google it
#3.1 Bird Dog on 2014-10-18 06:09 (Reply)
I have a ton of mint too, but I never considered it a pesto ingredient, if it is i'd love to know!
#3.2 LP on 2019-06-18 19:26 (Reply)
Is the plural of pesto, pestilence?
#4 Sam L. on 2019-06-18 23:27 (Reply)
If you don't want to "google it", mint pesto, with cilantro as an equal ingredient, is very good with Indian food. Also with lamb, if you like lamb...
#5 tim ferrell on 2019-06-19 06:36 (Reply)
Also, if you have really good cheese, nuts, olive oil, and garlic, why bother to use "anything you want"? Just leave it at that....I prefer basil and pine nuts, with a good romano and picual derived olive oil, but I know that once one discovers that pesto means "mushed up", the tendency is to imagine anything goes...bon appetit!.
#6 tim ferrell on 2019-06-19 06:41 (Reply)
In a fit of herbal exuberance, I may have planted a superabundance of basil this summer. Pesto! I thought, though I dread pine nuts. Shucks, this is Texas, so how 'bout pecans? And sure enough, the web has a plenitude of pecan pesto recipes. So I procured the pecans and sent the wife out to hack an Easter basket full of basil ("are you SURE you want that much basil?"). Dumped herb, nuts, a mess of Parmesan cheese, some garlic cloves, and a tot of the Old Oil into the food processor, and Presto, Pesto!

Now the tough part: my wife is completely off noodles or pasta of any kind. BUT pesto is a great spread for pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese puffs) which my wife adores AND it freezes well. So pesto for Christmas! Hurray!
#7 Mike Anderson (Link) on 2021-07-25 14:36 (Reply)
Another Texan here and I don't care for pine nuts either. Actually I got burned out on traditional pesto quite a few years ago when we had a super abundance of basil in our own yard.

Anyway, I typically use pecans and sometimes almonds instead. I've enjoyed pesto made with parsley and with spinach.
#7.1 T Migratorious on 2021-07-26 07:44 (Reply)
What's wrong with Ketchup? LOL!
#8 snopercod on 2021-07-25 16:23 (Reply)
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Some basil and garlic blended into a spicy ketchup, for dressing up some chi-chi french fries? I can do that!
#8.1 Mike Anderson (Link) on 2021-07-25 18:07 (Reply)
I make pesto from the tops of green onions.
#9 blondi utronki on 2021-07-25 18:21 (Reply)
Now that's a neat variation. My pecan pesto recipe is getting gnarlier by the minute.
#9.1 Mike Anderson (Link) on 2023-08-15 14:52 (Reply)
In Provence, there is pistou, which is similar to pesto except it doesn't have pine nuts in it (sometimes they'll use almonds though).
#10 JJM on 2023-08-16 15:40 (Reply)

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