Pesto - Top 10 Tips to Perfect Pesto
10 Top Tips to perfect pesto
I love pesto, all year round.
Whatever the weather or time of year I love to eat it and the fresher the better.
I do think that pesto is most often eaten in summer when it’s hot and I think I know the reason why!
Pesto is mostly associated with salads, and I get that, I understand why salads and pesto are a match made in heaven.
All that flavoursome oil, herbs and nuts smothering crisp green lettuce, what’s not to like?
But I think if you knew what else pesto can be used for to add extra oomph, you’d be more like me and use it on or in, almost anything.
I’ve put together my top ten tips to my perfect pesto, so I hope you’ll enjoy making your own.
1) What is Pesto?
Pesto is an Italian topping.
Supposedly, originally from Liguria it’s traditionally made from basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts and a good parmesan cheese, all ground up together to make a thick, green and what turns out to be a course yet creamy texture.
2) Herbs
The herb usually used in pesto is basil, but believe me it’s very rarely the herb I use for my pesto.
That’s not to say I don’t use it, I do because it’s such an amazing herb to use for anything.
Aromatic and green, beautiful, but it’s not the only herb that makes great pesto.
Different herbs mean a different flavour profile, so no need to ever get bored with it.
Have an experiment with different soft herbs it’s definitely worth it.
Here are some substitutes herbs I’ve used:
Tarragon
Wild Garlic
Broccoli
Rocket
Coriander
Mint
Parsley
Oregano
Thyme
Kale
Spinach
Parsley
3) Oils
Good olive oil is the thing I use to make my pesto rise above the shop stuff.
Of course, there’s always the option of using flavoured oils, but with so many great fresh flavours already in this pesto, why sully the taste with a flavoured oil.
Save flavoured oils for salad dressings
The better the olive oil the better the pesto is going to taste.
Extra virgin olive oil adds a very strong flavour, so be aware of this, and go for the strength of oil that you want.
Give it an experiment.
A coupe of examples of olive oil
4) Nuts
As with the oil, nuts are something I change up depending on what I’m using the pesto for or which nuts I’ve got stashed away in my pantry
I do have a bit of a soft spot for walnuts, so these are always available in my kitchen, but I use the traditional pine nuts too, but I’m never one to let tradition make me stick to a recipe.
There are some nuts that are better to use than others, usually the oily nuts are good.
This is my list of the nuts I’ve had great success with:
Nuts:
Pecan
Cashew
Pine nuts
Walnuts
Macadamia
Pistachios
5) Cheese
Parmesan adds a perfect saltiness to pesto and has a fantastic quality of somehow giving it a creaminess to it that other cheeses don’t but it doesn’t have to be parmesan.
Pecorino-Romano cheese works perfectly in this recipe or what about Grana Padano.
Try this!
6) Uses
Don’t think that pesto is just something to add a little bit of flavour to a salad, it’s surprising how many great ways it can be used.
Try Pesto:
As a salad dressing
On a steak
In a lasagne
Topping a bowl of hot home-made soup
Mixed in with steaming gnocchi
Mix it with tomato sauce for a tasty pasta mix
Great for an addition for fish
Try it with chicken
A tasty layer in a sandwich
Bring life to roasted vegetables.
Mix it in guacamole
Add to scrambled eggs
Mix into potato salads
As a marinade
Perfect on a very rare steak - just how i like it.
6) Texture
Smooth, creamy with texture is the way pesto should be but it’s up to you how textured you’d like it to be.
Sometimes I like it to have a little more crunch, a little more bite to it, depending what I’m using it for.
The way to do this is really easy, just stop mixing or grinding when it’s at the texture you prefer.
This leads me to the nest tip, pestle and mortar or food processor? I’ve tried both, and I like both, depending on how much work I want to out into it.
Texture is up to you
7) Pestle and mortar or food processor?
Traditionally pesto is made with a pestle and mortar, but depending on how much I’m making, I often use a food processor.
With a pestle and mortar, there seems to be a way to make it and a way not to make it, but to be honest, when I make it this way, I just add the ingredients as they come up in front of me, no particular order.
Then there is the food processor way.
Add all of the fabulous fresh ingredients (except the olive oil) into the food processor and mix until smooth before slowly drizzling in the oil.
Either is good
8) Store It
Pesto will keep in an air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
For an even better airtight seal, to stop the mix oxidising.
Now, I’m not saying that the pesto can’t be used after 3 days, lets face it, there’s a longer best by date on the pesto in the supermarkets, but what might happen is the basil, (if that’s the herb you’re using) might go bitter.
Freezing pesto works for storage.
Put the pesto in singe portions making them easy to de-frost, but if I’m honest, I never store it like this, way too small for the recipes I use it in.
Airtight tubs are my preferred way of freezing, making sure it’s completely defrosted before using and give it a big stir just bring everything back together and mixing the olive oil back in.
Great with fresh vegetables
9) Recipe
Basil Pesto
About 1 large bunch of fresh basil
100g cup pine nuts
100g cup olive oil
100g Parmigiano-Reggiano
How
Collect the ingredients.
Combine the basil, pine nuts and cheese in a food processor.
Pulse until the pesto is blended into a slightly coarse paste (or your desired consistency).
Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the pesto is oily and the consistency you prefer.
Serve or store as required
Tai Pesto & Noodles
2 packed cups Thai basil
60ml avocado oil
100g raw cashews
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lime
Salt & Pepper to taste
Noodles of your choice
2 tbsp – Low Salt Soy sauce
Lime juice from one lime
Small bunch of Spring Onions – Sliced
Sesame seeds to serve - optional
How
In a food processor, blend the Thai basil, avocado oil, raw cashews, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper until it forms a paste.
Taste and adjust if it needs more salt, lime – adjust the seasoning to taste
Cook the noodles according to the instructions.
Mix the can of coconut milk with the pesto
Place it into a wok, stir and heat it up.
Once boiling, let it simmer until reduced a little
Add the cooked noodles along with the soy sauce and mix really well.
Add the spring onion, give it a mix and let the noodles soak up some of the sauce before serving with sesame seeds sprinkled over the top
Broccoli, Lemon and Sunflower Seed Pesto Dip
1 small head of broccoli (approx 350g), cut into florets
30g pack fresh basil
100g sunflower seeds
1 lemon, zested and juiced
50ml olive oil
Selection of crudités (such as carrot sticks, mangetout, cucumber batons and pepper slices), to serve
How
Steam the broccoli for 5 mins until just tender, then allow to cool in a colander.
Once cooled, put the broccoli, basil, sunflower seeds and lemon zest and juice in a blender.
Blitz briefly, then add the olive oil.
Season and blitz again until smooth.
If needed, add a splash of water until you reach the desired consistency.
Serve the pesto in individual pots with the crudités.
Wild garlic and walnuts
10) Everything Else
Add garlic to make even more flavoursome. Add it at the beginning so it gets creamy before other things are added.
If you want to take it up another notch, roast the garlic first.
A squeeze of lemon juice will add a freshness to the pesto, add it at the end to taste., but it’s not for everyone.
Parmesan is salty so if you’re adding salt remember, you can add more but not take it out, so be careful with it.
Add pepper, but once again, be careful about how much you add. It’s easy to add more.
Make ahead – make ahead and store it for a few days in the fried or freeze for up to three months.
Add it to a salad
