3 types of pesto that you will love immediately.
Pesto (also known as "pesto alla Genovese") is one of the most popular ingredients in Italy and around the world today. People eat it with pasta, grilled meat, fish, potatoes, put it on pizza, or just eat it plain with bread or a baguette.
According to experts, the first pesto appeared in the Roman Empire, where it was a basic and very popular food.
The first pesto was made from crushed garlic, herbs, cheese, olive oil and wine vinegar, and was eaten mainly with bread.
Modern pesto comes from Genoa, Italy, and its history began around the 5th century AD. It differs from the oldest one mainly in that fresh basil is added to it. However, it was not included until 1863, when Giovanni Battista Ratto published the first official recipe for pesto as we know it today.
In addition to basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt, and hard cheese such as Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano), Pecorino Romano, or Grana Padano are also added.
Although this combination is the most popular, other versions of pesto are also emerging.
We have prepared 3 different types for you today. They are all very tasty, and you can eat them in many ways. We added roasted pine nuts to our classic one, the second one is made from roasted spring onions, hazelnuts and smoked bacon, and the third one is vegan from almonds, baby spinach and flaxseed oil.
Want to know how you can prepare them at home?
3 types of pesto that you will love immediately.
Roasted pine nut and basil pesto.
What will you need?
- 150g fresh basil (mainly leaves)
- 50g grated Parmesan
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 50g roasted pine nuts
- Salt
How to proceed?
- Roast the pine nuts until golden brown in a dry frying pan, and let cool slightly.
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes. If the basil leaves stick to the sides of the blender, scrape them off with a spoon and blend for a while longer. If the pesto is too thick, add a little more olive oil. Add a pinch of salt at the end and mix.
- You can serve this pesto with almost anything.
Pesto made with roasted spring onions, hazelnuts, and smoked bacon.
What will you need?
- 2 bunches of spring onions
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 80g smoked bacon
- 75g hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon (you can also use dried, but only ½ teaspoon)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 clove of garlic
- 100g hard smoked cheese
- Salt and ground black pepper
How to proceed?
- Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 10-15 minutes. After baking, let cool and chop coarsely.
- Meanwhile, cut the spring onions into larger strips, and the fresh tarragon and parsley finely.
- Cut the smoked bacon into smaller cubes and grate the smoked cheese.
- Pour oil into a hot pan and add the spring onions. Fry for about a minute or until the onions are browned. Be careful not to burn the onions. Let the fried spring onions cool down and then chop finely.
- In the same pan, fry the smoked bacon until crispy. Once cooked, transfer the bacon to a kitchen towel to drain off excess fat.
- Place the fried and finely chopped spring onions in a bowl, and add the cooked bacon, roasted hazelnuts, chopped tarragon and parsley. Also add the pressed or crushed garlic and grated smoked cheese. Season with salt, ground black pepper and mix well.
- Serve with pasta, various salads, or grilled meat.
Vegan pesto made with almonds, young spinach and flaxseed oil.
What will you need?
- 250g young spinach
- 50ml of first-pressed linseed oil
- 75g almonds
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of ¼ lemon
- Salt
How to proceed?
- Place all ingredients (except lemon juice) in a blender and blend on high speed for about 2 minutes. After this time, the pesto should be just about ready.
- Now add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Blend for about 15 seconds more.
- Since this pesto doesn't have any cheese in it, it will have a slightly different consistency than the classic one. However, if you find it too thick, simply add more flaxseed oil.
- Serve with pasta, as a base for vegan pizza, or with various salads.
All 3 pestos can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen until ready to use. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 1 week.
Grilled zucchini with mint, basil and pine nuts.
Vegan smoothie with crunchy peanut butter.
