Variations on the Recipe of Pesto
One of my favorite things to make and eat is pesto. It is fresh, bright, and versatile, and reminds me of warm weather and eating outside. Pesto is more than just basil, pine nuts and olive oil; and it can be combined with more than just pasta. It is whatever you want and whatever you have on hand, and it can be part of many meals.
The definition of pesto as seen in a dictionary or encyclopedia would look like this:
Pesto (Italian pron. /'pesto/, Genoese pron. /'pestu/, contracted past participle of pestâ: "to pound, to crush," in reference to the crushed herbs and garlic in it, from Latin root of pestle) is a sauce that originates in the city of Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy (pesto alla Genovese).
Origins of Pesto
The ancient Romans ate a cheese spread called moretum, which may sometimes have been made with basil. The herb likely first came from North Africa. Pesto al la Genovese, which is the traditional pesto we think of when some offers us pasta and pesto, is made with Genoese basil, salt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts and a grated hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano.
Historically, pesto was prepared in a marble mortar with wooden pestle. First the basil leaves are washed and dried and then put in the mortar together with garlic and some coarse crystals of sea salt, crushed to a creamy consistency. Then pine nuts are added and crushed together. When the pine nuts are well incorporated, the grated cheeses and the olive oil can be added and stirred together with a wooden spoon. The sauce is now ready.
Regional Variations of Pesto
Many historical variations have been reported and are still used today. A sauce from Provence, known as Pistou, is generally made with only olive oil, basil and garlic. While cheese may be added, usually no nuts are included. A German variety uses ramsons’ leaves instead of basil. Ramsons’ leaves are the long, wide, flat leaves of a wild version of garlic.
In the 19th century, Genovese immigrants to Argentina brought pesto recipes with them. A Peruvian variety, known as "Tallarin Verde," is slightly creamier. It uses spinach leaves and is served with potatoes and sirloin steak.
Another well-known variant exists, the pesto alla Siciliana. It is a sauce from Sicily similar to the traditional Genoese pesto recipe with the addition of tomato and much less basil. Another more traditional variation on the Genoese pesto recipe is the substitution of arugula instead of, or in addition to basil, plus black olives, lemon zest, coriander or mushrooms.
Basically, pesto can be made with just about anything!