Pesto

Posted by Kikilola on Oct 29, 2007 · Member since Apr 2006 · 445 posts

O my days, how easy is it to make pesto! dur! all this time I've been forking out on tiny jars of the stuff, when the ingredients have been before my very eyes in my kitchen. I took inspiration from Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen and did a "poor man's" version (cheeseless!) and I also didn't add any garlic (as I thought my fella might try some and he's not as keen on the garlic loveliness). I used sea salt to get the saltiness that you'd taste from the parmesan. I also used a seed/nut combo instead of just pinenuts. Delish.

Posted by hespedal on Oct 29, 2007 · Member since Mar 2006 · 5259 posts

pesto is really good with nutritional yeast subbed for parmesan.

and i agree about the combo, best pesto i ever made has almond and cashews.

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Posted by yabbitgirl on Oct 29, 2007 · Member since Apr 2006 · 14266 posts

I love me some pesto (shoot, I love me some food! :-[) but I remember the bitter argument my mother had with me on the subject of pesto/pisto. They are not the same! Pesto is, well, yeah--pesto. It's basil and stuff. Pisto is zucchini, tomato, onion and potato in a thick sauce. At the time of the argument (1987) I had never heard of the basil pesto, and tried to make her understand that. Oh, she got mad at me! I think she thought I was being perverse.

Then again there's the French "Pistou" which is a soup with a lot of veg and a pesto-type sauce added at the last minute.

I've never had all the ingredients together at the same time to make my own Italian pesto, but I bought something in the supermarket the other day that advertises itself as "red pesto"--apparently with roast red peppers in it. Anyone know if that's any good? Haven't tried it yet.

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