Most lovers of great food have a soft spot for pesto. With its spicy taste, this Italian sauce strikes that rare balance between boldness and tastiness, with delicious results.
Pesto is always a great option for your pasta. This sauce is never boring, but you can always rely on it to satisfy you and surprise your palate with its unique mix of flavors.
The color of great pesto sauce is light-to-intense green. It must be dense and hom*ogeneous. When it comes to taste, the sauce must be tasty, just a little spicy, without any hint of mint whatsoever.
Thanks to its ancient origins and the interest it garners all around the world, pesto is more than a sauce. It’s the expression of a rich and storied gastronomical culture.
Roman Origins
The origins of pesto date back to Ancient Rome, where sauces prepared with a mortar were all the rage. Romans enjoyed delicacies such as Garum, a mix of fish innards and aromatic herbs, and Moretum, the forebear of pesto. Moretum was made crushing together cheese, aromatic herbs, salt, oil, and vinegar, a recipe that closely resembles that of pesto.
Fun linguistic fact: The English word pestle (the rounded tool used to crush substances in a mortar) is related to pesto. Both come from the Latin word pistare, which means to pound.
From Genoa With Love
The current version of pesto is typical from Liguria, a region in Northwest Italy whose main city is Genoa. There’s an interesting backstory to the development of pesto: Venezia, an acerbic rival of Genoa, had a monopoly on spices during the middle ages. This forced the Ligurians to make do with what they had at hand: aromatic herbs and garlic. The rest, as they say, is history.
The French Cousin
Pesto has a French relative, pistou, a sauce typical from Marseille. The French tried to claim pesto as their creation, until in 1910, in a book titled Provencal Cuisine, a French chef called Jean Baptiste Reboul put the matter to rest by admitting that pesto was indeed a creation of the Genovese.
The World Pesto Championship
Believe it or not, there’s a World Pesto Championship. Organized by the Cultural Association of Italian Gourmets, it takes place every two years in Genova. 100 contestants follow the stringent regulations established by the Association and compete for the crown of world pesto champion. The Championship is open to people from all around the world, so pack your mortar and pestle and get ready to grind away!
FAQs
Because its ingredients include olive oil, nuts, and cheese, pesto can be high in calories and fat. However, the fat is primarily unsaturated and may have heart health benefits. Pesto is also full of antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.
What are the benefits of pesto? ›
Because its ingredients include olive oil, nuts, and cheese, pesto can be high in calories and fat. However, the fat is primarily unsaturated and may have heart health benefits. Pesto is also full of antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.
How is pesto so good? ›
Properly made pesto tastes fresh and zingy and balanced, not muddy. Each flavor component is identifiable—the fragrant basil, the pungent garlic, the buttery olive oil and sweet pine nuts, the tangy cheeses—and yet none dominates. Basil is the star, for sure, but its perfume works in balance with the other ingredients.
Why is pesto famous? ›
Pesto sauce is the world's second most popular pasta sauce, but its success, which has grown over the past 20 years, is due to its versatility. Pesto is ancient. It probably originated as a condiment of minced garlic used in the Roman Empire to season meats and fish, to which some basil leaves were added for flavor.
How do you explain what pesto is? ›
Pesto, or pesto alla genovese, is a basil-based sauce that originated in Genoa, the capital of Liguria, Italy. Traditional pesto is made with basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and Parmesan (or another type of hard Italian cheese, such as Pecorino).
Is pesto good or bad fat? ›
Pesto is flavorful and bright and can liven up vegetables, pizza, potatoes and pasta. It's also high in healthy fats, which help keep you satisfied. Fat may be higher in calories, but it also takes longer to digest (read: satisfying) and allows your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K.
Is pesto hot or cold? ›
PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature. If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.
What is a fun fact about pesto? ›
History of Pesto
The name “pesto” comes from the Italian word “pestare,” which means “to crush” or “to shape.” This is because the sauce is traditionally made using a stone mortar and pestle, where all the ingredients are crushed together to create a smooth paste.
Why is pesto so expensive? ›
Its scarcity, plus the fact that the plants are picked roots, soil, and all to ensure that only juvenile leaves make it into pesto, makes it extraordinarily expensive and something that only premium, artisan pesto makers can justify using.
How old is pesto? ›
Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa, located in Italy's northern region. It originated around the 16th century and traditionally consists of crushed garlic, basil, and pine nuts blended with Parmesan cheese and olive oil.
The name pesto is the past participle of the Genoese verb pestâ (Italian: pestare), meaning 'to pound', 'to crush': the ingredients are "crushed" or ground in a marble mortar through a circular motion of a wooden pestle.
How long does pesto last? ›
Pesto will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you've stored it in the freezer, it will last for 6 months. When you're ready to use frozen pesto, thaw it overnight in the fridge or place the container of pesto in a bowl of warm water for a quicker thawing time.
Does pesto taste like? ›
What does pesto taste like? Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.
Is pesto healthier than tomato? ›
As you would expect, pesto's wider variety of ingredients means it does slightly better in the vitamin and mineral stakes. Pesto outsmarts tomato sauce in many of these, but the pasta sauce still provides a sizeable chunk of your recommended daily targets.
Is pesto good for your stomach? ›
Garlic, known for its strong flavor, can cause bloating and gas in individuals prone to digestive issues. The high-fat content in pesto, primarily from olive oil and cheese, may also contribute to symptoms such as diarrhea or abdominal discomfort in some individuals with IBS.
When should I eat pesto? ›
There are endless flavour combinations and dishes you can create – as you're about to discover.
- Top a pizza. ...
- Turn into a dip. ...
- Salad base. ...
- Go beyond basil. ...
- Upgrade your breakfast. ...
- Bake a tart. ...
- Garnish a soup. ...
- Freshen up roasts.
The weeds in the garden can contribute to this delicious pesto that provides nourishing phyto-nutrients to support our liver health. This pesto goes well on crackers, in pasta dishes, or with vegetable sticks.
