This Might Be the Best Pesto You’ll Ever Make
Welcome to the twentieth instalment of my series where I test out recipes from an obscure 1990s Italian cookbook. This time, I tried another dish from the ‘Sauces for Pasta’ section: Pesto.
I was today years old when I discovered the proper way to make pesto – with a pestle and mortar. I’m embarrassed to admit that I always dismissed this method, thinking a blender could give an identical result but without the effort and time required.
To be fair, the book also recommends using a blender but I thought that since I’m finally going to be writing about my favourite condiment of all time, I should probably do it some justice and give the traditional method a go.
And I’m glad I did – this pesto is easily the best I’ve ever made. Smooth and creamy, perfect in colour, texture, and taste, there wasn’t a single pine nut or stem of basil left astray.
Using a pestle and mortar allows you so much more control over the ingredients, giving you a result which a blender just cannot replicate, no matter how modern or smart it is.
Returning to the book’s recipe, I knew from the get-go that I would be adjusting it before even looking at the ingredients. Pesto is always something I eyeball, depending on the amount of basil and pine nuts I have to hand and adjusting as I go.
I’ve also always been guilty of shoving everything together at once and hoping for the best, but the order that you mix the ingredients matters hugely. I crushed the garlic and salt first, then the basil, and then the pine nuts, before adding the parmesan and olive oil. And so, I was encouraged to actually think about the quantities and how I was combining them and it made a huge difference to the texture and taste!
Additional Changes
- I used a bit less garlic – just 1 small clove worked perfectly.
- The recipe didn’t specify the type of oil, but it of course has to be olive. I would, however, definitely recommend using a lighter variety as extra virgin can have quite a bitter taste.
- I loved the book’s idea of toasting the pine nuts first, but not in the oil – I just cooked them dry for a few minutes.
Though this recipe was by no means perfect, it forced me to take a step back and reevaluate my pesto-making methods, once again providing its own form of inspiration and learning experience.
BOOK RECIPE RATING: 7/10
So, I hope I’ve convinced you to also try making pesto with a pestle and mortar, following my revised recipe below. If you’re one of the wise ones who has already been using a pestle and mortar, I applaud you!
Pesto
Ingredients
- 20 g pine nuts
- 1 small garlic clove
- Salt and pepper to season
- 15 g basil leaves [see notes]
- 25 ml light olive oil [see notes]
- 10 g parmesan grated
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and a good seasoning of salt and pepper into a dry paste. Add the basil and grind again until smooth. Add in the toasted pine nuts and crush again until fine and creamy[see photos].
- Add the parmesan and oil, and combine again. You should be left with smooth, bright green sauce, loosened slightly with the olive oil [see photo]. Give it a taste and adjust accordingly with salt and pepper.
- I could provide endless serving suggestions here, but the classic one would have to be pesto pasta [see photos]. If you want to try something a bit different, however, you can drizzle it over some polenta from the previous instalment.
Notes
- Make sure the basil is really fresh – wilted or browning basil affects the flavour and look of the pesto. If you can, I would recommend buying the potted variety at the supermarket – you can tend to the plant and continue harvesting so you’ll never have to buy again!
- A lighter variety of olive oil is best as extra virgin can be a bit bitter.
- 25ml of oil is an estimate – pour it in gradually until you’re happy with the texture [see photos for reference].
- Using a pestle and mortar is certainly more of a workout for the arms but trust me when I say it’s totally worth it. If you are pushed for time, you can use a food processor, but the result might not be as smooth and creamy.
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Great recipe!