recipes
May 6, 2024

Make pesto yourself? delicious recipes

Video cooking school: make pesto alla genovese yourself

Stiftung Warentest: ready made pesto is often "deficient"

Why do we make pesto ourselves? Because it just tastes better than the finished pesto from the supermarket. In that pine nuts, olive oil and pecorino are often found only in tiny quantities? Finally, sunflower oil, cashew nut powder and hard cheese are much cheaper. In addition, ready-made pesto often contains flavors and preservatives. Stiftung Warentest has examined 30 pestos from the supermarket. The devastating verdict: only three of them received a grade of good and one third did not score well.

But it is actually so simple: For the classic Pesto alla Genovese you need only olive oil, fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan (or Pecorino) and salt and pepper to taste? then nothing.

Of course, this basic recipe for pesto can also be creatively varied: In addition to the recipe for Pesto alla Genovese, you will also find a recipe for asparagus pesto and ideas for pesto with mint or wild garlic and even variants with dates.

So homemade pesto stays fresh for a long time

Pesto with pasta is a quick lunch. But Pesto not only tastes good with noodles, you can also refine many other dishes. Try our strawberry tart with sorrel pesto or the minestrone with white beans and raspberry pesto! And as a sauce for roast meat, pesto is a delicious choice.

Whether pasta, soup or meat: pesto is usually not heated, but afterwards stirred under the food or served. And there should be something left over in the end: Homemade pesto stays fresh in the fridge in a screw-tight container for up to three weeks. The best way to preserve the aroma is to smooth out the pesto and pour some olive oil over it so that the surface is barely covered.

By the way: The term "pesto" goes back to the Italian word "pestare". That means as much as "pounding"? because quite classic pesto is made in a mortar. That costs a lot of strength in the arms! Is it easier in the blender or with the blender? but do not mix too long, otherwise the pesto can become bitter. Here you will find more delicious pesto recipes.