All About Pesto

Cinzia Cuneo 2 agosto, 2010 erbe aromatiche, ricette

For a Northern Italian like me, Pesto is serious business. Did you know that the original version, known as ‘Pesto alla Genovese’, is in the process of obtaining a Protected Designation of Origin by the European Union?

The eligibility criteria for this is that it must be prepared with small-leaf Genoese basil, grown in gardens exposed to the Mediterranean breeze. Having said this, it’s also possible to use other varieties, such as the larger-leafed one with a faint minty aroma that is commonly found in Canada.

Be sure to select the softest leaves that have been picked before the plant is in bloom. Although the mixture is traditionally crushed (‘pestare’ in Italian) with a wooden pestle in a marble mortar, a food processor is much more convenient.

A few of our pesto recipes:

• Fish Fillets à la Provençale
• Pasta with Pesto Sauce
• Pesto Sauce
• Pesto Sauce with Arugula

Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on August 12, 2006.

Autori

Cinzia Cuneo

Italiana di nascita e canadese d'adozione, Cinzia ha deciso di coniugare le sue competenze professionali e la sua passione per la buona tavola sviluppando un servizio per aiutare i numerosi «aventi bisogno» a riprendere il controllo della loro alimentazione. Così è nata SOSCuisine. Ingegnere di formazione al Politecnico di Torino, Cinzia ha conseguito un Master's Degree in scienze applicate all'École Polytechnique de Montréal.