pesto

Pesto is a paste typically made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil and Parmesan cheese. It can be served over pasta, as a sauce on meats or salads or on pizza. There are infinite variations, including with different greens, such as arugula or cilantro, and different nuts, such as walnuts or almonds.


Pesto originated in Genoa, Italy and the name comes from the verb "pestare," which means to pound or crush. Pesto was traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, although cooks today are more likely to use a food processor. Different regions of Italy put their own spin on pesto by using different ingredients, including tomatoes or grilled peppers. The French version of pesto is called pistou and is served with a vegetable soup, called Soupe au Pistou.


Pesto became trendy in the United States in the 1980's. There's a famous line in the movie When Harry Met Sally, when the character Jess says "pesto is the quiche of the 80's."

Food bloggers have many pesto recipes, including this one for a Sicilian pesto with tomatoes, this recipe for pesto made with garlic scapes, or this restaurant review which mentions pesto mayonnaise.

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Latest blogosphere posts tagged “pesto”

 

• Roasted Tomato and Pesto Burger

  
  foodgawker — Authority: 168
  Burgers with roasted tomatoes, fresh pesto, and mozzarella
  2 days ago

• Best Pizza Ever: Guide to the Most Underrated Pizza Toppings

  
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  Image via The Gourmand Mom (thegourmandmom.com) We used to sing a song called “Pizza Love” in my childhood choir. For those curious, you can watch a creepy video of random children singing it here ; it’s a spectacular and moving tune. Like any normal kid and/or mutant turtle, I loved pizza (and much to the ...
  2 days ago

• Grilled Blasamic Chicken w/ Pesto

  
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  Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Pesto (adapted slightly from Eat, Live, Run’s recipe on PBS) -serves 2 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar 1/4 to 1/3 cup shredded fresh organic mozzarella cheese 2 Tablespoons of pesto, homemade or… Read more →
  2 days ago

• Pesto and Tomato Angel Hair Pasta Recipe

  
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  INGREDIENTS 1lbangel hair pasta 3clovesgarlic 3cupsfresh basil leaves 1/2cuppine nuts 2ouncesparmesan cheese 1/2teaspoonsalt black pepper 2/3cupextra virgin olive oil 1cupdiced tomatoes DIRECTIONS Cook angel hair pasta according to package directions. Turn on food processor and drop garlic down feed tube. Stop the ...
  1 week ago

• Deconstructed Pesto

  
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  Dear Mouse, Yes I am alive. It has been so long since I blogged. Sorry. So, its spring! And, let me get this out of the way, I made these.                                                      Fiddlesticks - sorry, fiddlehead- ferns. Mouse, Im aware that no one likes a hater. ...
  1 week ago

• Tofarelle with Pistachio Pesto and Salmon

  
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  Tweet [IMG: http://dailybreakfast.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pistachio-dailybreakfast_-2.jpg][IMG: http://dailybreakfast.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pistachio-dailybreakfast_-4.jpg][IMG: http://dailybreakfast.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pistachio-dailybreakfast_-3.jpg]
  1 week ago

• Basil Pesto Pizza with Tomato & Mozzarella (Personal Pan Pizza)- For Home Bakers Challenge

  
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  The much awaited time is finally here. The reveal date of the first Home Bakers Challenge started by Priya Akka . To know more about Home Bakers Challenge, click here . This month I am hosting the event and the challenge for the month is Pizza.  We gave 4 different pizzas - One pizza with pizza sauce, One without ...
  1 week ago

• Baked Tomatoes

  
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  What can I do to increase my sperm count? I’ve heard rumours that eating baked tomatoes does, but do you know of any official methods? Less red meat, more raw veggies and water OVEN ROASTED TOMATOES!
  1 week ago

• BLT Soup

  
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  Yup, that’s right you heard me…BLT soup. This soup was divine, just divine. It’s everything you could want in a BLT sandwich, but in the form of a soup, and it was just delicious. Did I mention it was divine? Well it was…if you were wondering. So anyway, it’s been kind of rainy here lately. This is strange, ...
  1 week ago

• DIY: plant herbs in a mason jar.

  
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  I go through herb bushels like I go through sparkling water containers and that’s a lot. When I first started digging into this glorious thing of making my own meals years back, I remember Googling ‘how to chop parsley’ and ‘best way to cut cilantro’ and I felt very accomplished even as a novice in the ...
  1 week ago

• Presto Pesto: Five Pestos to Make, Buy, or Share

  
  Sharing Travel Experiences — Authority: 141
  W hen you think of pesto, what comes to mind? I’m going to bet it’s something green, and includes some basil. Also, it’s probably Mediterranean in flavor, right? Well, allow me to open your mind a little bit. Pesto is a delicious condiment with so many possibilities! What is Pesto? According to Wikipedia, ...
  1 week ago

• Choir of Cheese Heads

  
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  There are a million and one ways to set up a bread bowl; however, this is one of the more impressive! Whether you’re actually hosting a musical event or a gathering for music-minded people, or you simply want a new way to present a classic spread of pesto and peppers, this will be a hit! Starting with a good loaf ...
  2 weeks ago

• green curry pork cubes with toasted cumin pumpkin seeds.

  
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  Um, update: I initially wrote, that my curry sauce was not as creamy as the picture with the original recipe and couldn’t quite figure out why, eventually I chalked it up to a good Photoshop job.. That was before, a full 72 hours after making it, I walked by the fridge at work, looked at the freebie drinks ...
  2 weeks ago

• Pesto, Mozzarella & Proscuitto Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

  
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  Portobella mushrooms have long been religated to the status of vegetarian grill item.  I’ll admit to having served them as such, though I do love a good grilled portobella mushroom at a BBQ and I am not a vegetarian.  But I like to think of portobella mushrooms as gluten-free, healthy vessel for delicious ...
  2 weeks ago

• Pesto Caprese Sammy

  
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  So, Im always looking for something quick and easy for a working lunch.  I office in the very building that I live; however, its wicked hard to have time for a real lunch.  Im just too busy.  Even when I do get an actual hour for lunch, its spent taking Jagger out and kicking it with him inside.  So, I have the ...
  2 weeks ago

• Garlic Pesto & Mushroom Risotto

  
  foodgawker — Authority: 168
  Wild garlic pesto & mushroom risotto with lemon-flavored breadcrumbs
  2 weeks ago

• By the Book: Michael Chiarello’s Pesto Arancini Stuffed with Mozzarella

  
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  In the late 1980s, I considered Martha Stewart to be the queen of entertaining. I was only in high school, but I owned her Christmas book and had grand plans that when I grew up, I’d do special “Martha things” – not just to holiday food but also to pine cones and holly berries. I would put on fabulous parties ...
  2 weeks ago

• Stuffed Baked Red Potatoes with Basil Pesto (Copycat) and a Giveaway

  
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  Can I just start off by saying that I LOVED these potatoes created by my foodie friend Laurie Bakke?! When I first got her cookbook over the holidays I wasnt sure which recipe I was going to try first. Should I try the Thai Marinated Cucumber Salad? The Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Basil, Mint and Sherry Vinaigrette? ...
  2 weeks ago

• Green Pea Pesto

  
  foodgawker — Authority: 168
  Green pea pesto with fresh mint, garlic and olive oil. Tastes great on toasted wholemeal bread.
  2 weeks ago

• Foraged Nettle Pesto

  
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  Image:  Date of Post:  Tue, 2013-04-30 A recipe for foraged nettle pesto, and tips/tricks on harvesting and cooking stinging nettles! Location:  ...
  2 weeks ago

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