PESTO ALLA GENOVESE - WITH PASTA, POTATOES AND GREEN BEANS AND WITH ROMAN PIZZA
How to make the most delicious homemade pesto - the right way.
Hello all,
This weeks issue is all about Pesto!
I don’t think I know anyone who doesn't hold a special place in their heart for pesto pasta. Pesto means pestle, as in mortar which is the traditional way in which pesto was made. Ingredients are simple: basil, extra-virgin olive oil, Pecorino and/or Parmesan, and pine nuts. These days the addition of garlic and lemon are added.
One thing that people fuss about with pesto is how to keep it really green. Which in home cooking is kind of silly. The lemon does help to retain the colour but in reality once its bashed and even more so when it it does start to turn a deeper green. I honestly don’t waste my time worrying about this, its the taste thats important and homemade pesto tastes very good indeed.
Once made, as long as its kept under a layer of oil it will sit in your fridge for 6 weeks so make a big batch and keep using it. I really love it in the traditional Genovese pasta with salty, boiled potatoes and green beans. Its also lovely drizzled over my big, squishy roman style pizza - a recipe that is great for the bank holiday weekend. Both recipes here for you and some extra ideas too.
I hope these recipes inspire you to make your own rather than reaching for a jar of soapy, processed pesto. Few ingredients, easy to nail. Making your own pesto is a game changer.
Esther x
HOW TO
THE BASIL
The freshest big leaves in bunches are the best. Make sure they are a vibrant green and not turning brown/wilting. You need a lot so it might be tricky to make this from the diddy little plant growing on you kitchen window…
THE NUTS
Pinenuts are the only nut that I use in pesto. They should be long and smooth, and not pre-toasted as they start to turn bitter when sold that way. Check your pine nuts aren’t off if you’re using some from your cupboard. Sadly pine nuts don’t last for ever and they start to take on a musty, earthy flavour if kept for longer than a couple of months.
THE CHEESE
You can use parmesan, pecorino or a combination of both if you like. If you’re veggie make sure you look out for a vegetarian hard cheese. Grate the cheese finely on a microplane or on the fine side of a box grater.
THE OIL
A good, well rounded extra virgin olive oil is important in this. I’d say as important as the basil. Don’t use anything less than extra virgin as a the poor quality flavour will dominate the pesto.
THE METHOD
The big debate - pestle and mortar or food processor? Now look, just because its traditional, doesn’t mean its the best. I find in the pestle and mortar it takes time, effort and really doesn't make that much. I would always opt for a food processor. Not a blender though, that makes the pesto too smooth. You want a slightly chunkier finish so the food processor is best in my opinion as it has the pulse function.
ACID?
Lemon isn’t traditionally in pesto but I do welcome the acid with the oil and salty cheese so I add a little to mine. I’ve known people to add the zest of a lemon too, its quite nice but powerful, so only do this if you really love that citrus flavour.
Pesto alla genovese
PREP 15 mins COOK 5 mins MAKES 1 LARGE JAR
70g pine nuts
150g bunch fresh basil
1 small garlic clove, peeled
200ml extra virgin olive oil
50g parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon, juiced
Toast the pine nuts in a small pan over a medium heat. Watch them continuously and move them around the pan so that they don’t burn and so that you get a nice, even colour on them - this will take 4-5 mins. Tip into a bowl. Leave to cool completely - adding them to the other ingredients whilst warm will wilt your basil.
Tip half the basil into a food processor with the garlic, pine nuts, oil and parmesan, lemon juice as well as a good scrunch of sea salt and some black pepper. Then briefly blitz. Add the remaining basil and pulse a few more times. Spoon into a clean jar and top up with 1cm olive oil. Keep chilled for uptown 6 weeks, topping up with oil if you use any.
OTHER USES -
Swirl through homemade aioli and eat with crispy roasted potatoes or spread in sandwiches
Spoon onto of soups and stews - particularly good with thick, bean based ones and minestrones.
Stir through butterbeans with some extra lemon juice as a simple summer salad
Swirl into homemade hummus
Dress over hot roasted root veg with lots of roasted hazelnuts and feta
Sandwich into toasties
With trofie, potatoes and green beans
PREP 15 MINS COOK 14 MINS SERVES 4
400g potatoes - new potatoes or jersey royals
130g green beans, trimmed and halved
250g fresh trofie pasta or 300g dried pasta
180g-200g fresh pesto
Bring a large pan of well salted water to the boil. Peel and thickly slice the potatoes to around 2 cm each. Add them to the water and boil for 12 mins. Add the green beans to the potato water and cook for a further 2 mins. The potatoes need to still be firm and not breaking up - this is really important so keep checking them.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan cook the pasta in salted, boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve a cup of the starchy water.
Drain everything then tip back into the pan and very gently toss with the pesto and a splash of the cooking water. Serve with extra grated parmesan.
Tray baked roman style pizza
PREP 30 mins + 2 hours rising COOK 12 mins SERVE 9-12
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