In its classic form, pesto consists of basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, pecorino cheese and salt for seasoning. It originated in the port city of Genoa, the capital of the Italian region of Liguria. It is traditionally prepared in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle (mortaio e pestello). Historical letters found in the archives of Genoa mention a pesto-like dressing as early as the 17th century.
Basil has been known to Mediterranean cultures since ancient Roman times. It probably originated in India or Persia, and made its way to Europe via the northern coast of Africa. The ancient Romans ate a cheese spread called moretum which sometimes included basil. Liguria, with its mineral-rich seaside soil and temperate climate, has long been identified with growing and cooking with basil.
Pesto, which means “pounded”, has a short history in the United States. Articles in the New York Times and Sunset Magazine gave it a mention in the mid 1940’s. However, it was the regional Italian cooking trend of the early 1990’s that brought pesto into the limelight here.
The adoption of the concept of pesto, and its popularity in contemporary cooking has inspired the creation of many variations. Today there are as many kinds of pesti as the imagination can conjure. Pesto is a simple dish that takes only a couple of minutes to prepare; usually no longer than it takes the pasta to cook. However, as with all simple dishes, the quality of the ingredients will make or break the pesto.
We love using fresh arugula from the farmers market to make arugula pesto. In a kitchen blender place 4 gloves garlic and ½ cup toasted walnuts and mince. Add about 2 cups (packed) well-washed arugula leaves and ½ cup olive oil and continue to blend. Adjust the oil to get a soft paste, then add ½ cup just-grated Parmesan cheese and process until well blended. Adjust the salt and add a splash of lemon juice to taste.
Prepare pesto only if all of your ingredients are high quality. You will need a robust olive oil (preferably from a first cold pressing) and real parmesan cheese which you can grate with a fine grater. Avoid the green can – once you try real parmesan you will never look back. If you are able find it, use 18 month old parmesan as it displays more depth than its 9-12 month old cousins.
To accompany your pesto, buy the best durum wheat semolina pasta you can find and cook it according to instructions. Avoid undercooking! The craze for “al dente” firmness often results in undercooked pasta. Our favorite pasta shapes for pesto are bucatini or trenne; however it goes well with most flat or hollow shapes, but not with shells.
This general recipe for pesto also works great with cilantro and parsley, and in both cases pine nuts should be substituted for the walnuts for a brighter flavor.
Don’t buy processed pesto in a jar! Use fresh herbs from the farmers market held every Saturday from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at El Mercado Mall, 712 N. 77 Sunshine Strip in Harlingen.
