The aroma of fresh basil is truly unique and capturing that in a jar of pesto is one of the best ways to preserve the special aroma of the vibrant green leaves.
Basil pesto can turn any dish into something special and homemade is always best. The Italians prepare it with a pestle and mortar, but using a stick blender or food processor is an easy and hassle-free way. Two very typical ingredients in pesto are pine nuts (also known as pine kernels) and pecorino or parmesan cheese. Both of these are, however, rather expensive, so Heleen has made a plan to take your pocket into consideration without losing any of the lovely flavour pesto is known for.
Instead of pine nuts, which are not always easily available in South Africa and very costly at the moment, she uses toasted sunflower seeds or toasted flaked almonds as a great alternative. A hard, mature cheese, like pecorino or parmesan, is another typical ingredient for pesto. She uses a mature white cheddar with great success in her recipe, as it’s much more affordable than the other two cheeses.
Many plans with pesto
Basil and tomato are one of the best flavour combinations you can think of – a true match made in heaven. So, it goes without saying, that pesto and any form of tomato will be fabulous partners. Pesto is very popular with pasta, but have you tried it as part of a sandwich filling, with eggs or even on a braaibroodjie? You can add it as a condiment on pizzas or burgers. Or thin pesto with more olive oil, sour cream or plain yoghurt to serve as a salad dressing or to make a very special potato salad.
The possibilities with pesto really stretch far and wide. Just add dollops to any salad, veggies, meat or chicken or even stir a good spoonful or two into a mince mixture to take it to the next level.
Looking for a quick dip with veggies or to add to a cheese or charcuterie board? Stir some pesto into smooth cottage cheese and hey, pesto! You have a delicious addition to the platter.
Be inspired by the aroma of the pesto and create a few quick, yet elegant and mouthwatering snacks – packed with Italian flavours.
Caprese in a glass or on a stick: place tomatoes of your choice (large tomatoes cubed or baby tomatoes halved), with cubes of mozzarella or small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) and a drizzle of pesto in a small glass for an impressive cocktail. Or marinate the cheese in the pesto and skewer with tomatoes and fresh basil leaves onto small kebab sticks.
Toast thick slices of sourdough or baguette, spread with pesto and top with any cold meat or cheese of your choice. Any salad ingredient will also be delicious as a topping with the pesto, from cucumber to sweet peppers, mushrooms and definitely tomatoes. Get creative with the combinations and impress your guests.
To make it last longer
Remember to always store a jar of pesto in the fridge. Pesto can discolour, so the best way to prevent this from happening, is to even out the pesto at the top of the jar and then pour a thin layer of olive oil onto the top to seal it. Homemade pesto will last in the fridge for 1-2 weeks if stored correctly.
Another tip: only use a clean knife or spoon to take some pesto from the jar and never ‘double-dip’ a used knife or spoon into it – this may cause the pesto to spoil much faster.
Basil pesto
Recipe from Kos is op die tafel! by Heleen Meyer
Makes about 250 ml
60-70 g fresh basil leaves
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
30-50 g sunflower seeds or flaked almonds, toasted (see tip)
125 ml (½ cup) finely grated mature white cheddar, pecorino or parmesan cheese
10 ml (2 tsp) finely grated lemon rind
125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
1. Place basil, garlic, seeds or nuts, cheese, lemon rind and half of the oil in a food processor and blend. Alternatively, blend with a stick blender.
2. Add the rest of the oil as the mixture starts to come together. If you add all the oil at once, it will be more difficult to form a paste.
3. Season to taste and serve. If you are not going to serve the pesto immediately, store in a sterilised jar. To sterilise, pour boiling water into the jar and over the lid. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, drain well and dry with a clean cloth. While the jar is still slightly warm, spoon in the pesto and drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent the pesto from turning brown.
Tip
1. To toast seeds or nuts, toss in a dry frying pan without any oil, over a medium heat. Toss the pan regularly and toast until golden brown, but take care as it can burn quite quickly.
Visit Heleen’s website (www.heleenmeyer.co.za) for more recipes like this.
Image by Adel Ferreira