Pesto alla genovese

Pesto is an exceptionally tasty product (at least in my opinion), and is very easy to prepare: anyone who has a blender is able to prepare it. With a little bit of perseverance, even the lack of a blender is not an obstacle. Pesto is not too time-consuming: the preparation does not take more than 10 minutes, and it is healthy. Unfortunately, it is also really caloric: 440 calories per 100 g.

Ingredients:

  • basil – 1 large bush
  • pine nuts – 100g
  • olive oil – 50 – 75ml, depending on your preference
  • grated parmesan cheese – 100ml +, depending on your preference
  • garlic – amount depending on your preference, I gave 2.5 clove
  • salt and pepper
  • favorite pasta (I usually choose spaghetti or penne)
Pesto alla genovese ingredients
Ingredients

Preparation method

First of all, fragment basil, so it will be easier to blend it. As next, add it and all other ingredients (excluding the pasta) into the blender and mix until the mass will reach a homogenous structure. Depending on the recipe, you can come across two methods of dealing with the pine nuts: you can either roast them or not. I decided to roast them until they reached golden brown color.

All that is left is to cook the pasta, mix it with the pesto, and happily consume! It is worth remembering that the pasta should not be too hot – basil gets bitter in high temperatures.

Pine nuts for pesto Roasted pine nuts

Where to find ingredients?

Most of the ingredients are easy to find. Pine nuts may be the biggest problem, but it should be possible to find them in supermarkets.

Prepared pesto – delicious!

How to store pesto?

I have never had the opportunity to check this in practice because always when I get some pesto, I make it disappear in one day. On the internet you will find two methods: freezing and sticking it in the fridge.

Personally, if I do not like to freeze anything, I avoid it like the plague, so I would recommend keeping the pesto in the refrigerator, in a sealed jar. Ideally, the pesto should have a bit olive oil on the top, so it won’t get dry. It is suggested that the pesto should be good for about a week when using this method – if anyone has experience in this matter, I strongly invite you to share your knowledge.

You can take pesto for short trips into the wild

If you are going for a short survival trip not longer than one week, then pesto is a good choice. Combined with noodles nourishes the organism perfectly thanks to being rich in carbohydrates and fatty acids – therefore, it keeps a person full for a long time. It is advised to take it in a plastic jar, because otherwise pesto may dirty the inside of your backpack. For taste and as a good source of protein and calcium, one can take grated parmesan cheese.

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