Pesto Musings

The Genovese word pesto means to pound or to crush. What we commonly regard as pesto is more accurately Pesto alla Genovese probably the original pesto.

A sauce originating in Genoa the capital city of Liguria It traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, salt, basil leaves and hard cheese all blended with olive oil. Historically all done painstakingly by hand using a pestle and mortar. These days it's easily and quickly produced and adjusted using a stick blender but for me it somehow doesn't quite taste the same.

Then there is pesto alla trapanese a Sicilian variation typical of the Province of Trapani also know as pesto alla siciliana. Made from garlic, basil, almonds, grated pecorino cheese, tomatoes salt, pepper and bound with extra virgin olive oil.

Cheap and easy pasta sauces that can be made in bulk portioned and frozen to produce a fast and simple supper. You can experiment. Substitute hazelnuts for pine nuts for example for a different flavour or rocket for basil. Walnuts and sage make a good combination. My favourite though is beetroot pesto click here for recipe here I used reginette from the Pasta Factory