Pesto Recipes That Will Have You Drooling In Seconds
Pesto is the single most delicious thing on the planet. It’s green, tangy and yummy. It traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Sardo, all blended with olive oil. And there are so many different ways you can use it in meals and recipes. So, here are pesto recipes that will have you drooling in seconds.
Classic Pesto
To begin we’re going to look at how to make a pesto sauce from scratch so that you can use it in all the recipes to come.
Peel half a clove of garlic then pound into a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt. Chop a big bunch of fresh basil then bash into the made paste. Add one handful of pine nuts and again bash until they are crumbled in. Stir in half a handful of parmesan cheese, drizzle in a small amount of olive oil in order to get an oozy consistency. Add the remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Pasta is one of everyone’s favorite meals but if you ever grow bored of the classic tomato or cheese then here’s a pesto twist for you.
Tip one cup of penne pasta (or any of your preference) into a boiling pan of salted water for extra taste. Cook according to packet instructions. Usually around ten minutes. Meanwhile, bring another pan of water to boil and add 100g of broccoli, cut int florets. Drain and then return to pan and lightly mash with a fork. Add your pesto and your ready and drained pasta. For a little something extra grate some parmesan cheese on top.
Grilled Chicken Pesto Wrap
The perfect meal for lunch. Quick, easy and so scrumptious. Healthier than if you bought it in a cafe but with all the flavor of professionally made.
Over medium heat add a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add one lb of chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Move into a bowl and add your pesto and stir together. This makes your filling.
Lay a wrap out onto a clean surface and spoon your chicken pesto mixture onto the center and spread it lengthwise, leaving roughly an inch at each end. If you wish you can add some diced tomatoes and salad. Fold in the ends of the wrap until it is completely covered. To grill the wrap spray and skillet with cooking spray and heat. Place the wrap down and also spray. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is golden and flip until both sides are done.
Pea, Pesto and Sausage Lasagne
Roll sausage meat into cherry-tomato-sized balls and sizzle in an oiled pan for five-ten minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the broccoli and cook for three to four minutes until tender and then drain.
Heat the oven to 200C and put 250g of tomatoes onto a baking tray and roast for ten minutes. Stir the broccoli, 200g of peas, 200g of mascarpone and pesto into the sausage balls and simmer until you have a nice sauce consistency. Scoop a third of the mixture into a casserole dish, top with a third of the tomatoes, then add a lasagne sheet. Continue this layering the same way.
Mix 50ml with 200g of mascarpone to make a white sauce. Pour this over the top of the lasagne, then top with some more pesto. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown and bubbling.
Now you know how to bring the taste of Italy right into your own kitchen and onto your dinner plates. Enjoy!
