The most famous Italian pesto is made with fresh basil and is a traditional Genoese dish. In Italy, however many variations exist of this lovely condiment.
My mother, for example, prepares a delicious rocket pesto made with pine nuts and Parmesan, using the plants she has in the garden. Today I am going to share this lovely recipe, but instead of pine nuts I am using a few hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds.
Pesto is a very healthy condiment that you should definitely have in your fridge.
The rocket leaves are rich in vitamin C and also contain potassium, iron, calcium and phosphorus. They have a slightly bitter peppery flavour, which I love.
Tips.
1. Making pesto is very easy. Use an immersion blander and mix all the dry ingredients first and then add the extra virgin olive oil at the end. Add just a couple of tablespoons of iced water with the dry ingredients when you first use the blender, because this will cool the blades down and avoid ruining the leaves.
2. In the traditional Genoese pesto recipe we use Parmesan cheese and Pecorino Sardo. You can buy both cheeses nicely-aged, which is important because they have a distinctive strong taste. However, if you can’t find aged Pecorino Sardo you can replace it with Parmesan. Both these cheeses are quite salty, so it is very important to put just a pinch of salt in the recipe, then you can always add it at the end, if needed.
3. In order to get a creamier pesto, when you cook the pasta you can dilute your condiment with a couple of tablespoons of cooking water (the water in which the pasta is cooking), just before serving.
Rocket (Arugula) Pesto.
Preparation: 10 minutes
Easy
Ingredienti
For a cup of pesto
1/2 clove of garlic
60 g (2.11 oz) rocket (arugula), washed
30 g (1.05 oz) aged Parmesan cheese, cut into small pieces
30 g (1.05 oz) aged Pecorino Sardo cheese
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 walnuts, shelled
2 almonds, shelled
2 hazelnuts, shelled
a pinch of salt
pepper to taste
Method.
1. In a tall container, put all the ingredients, without the extra virgin olive oil.
2. Using an immersion blender, chop the ingredients for a few minutes, adding just a little bit of iced water to cool the blade in the process.
3. Pour in the extra virgin olive oil (a little at a time) and blend everything together, until you get a creamy mixture.
4. Serve with your favourite pasta.
Pesto di rucola.
Ingredienti
Preparazione: 10 minuti
Facile
Per un vasetto
1/2 spicchio d’aglio
60 g di rucola, lavata e asciugata
30 g di parmigiano reggiano (tagliato a pezzi piccoli)
30g di pecorino sardo stagionato (tagliato a pezzi piccoli)
6 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva
2 noci, senza guscio
2 nocciole, senza guscio
2 mandorle, senza guscio
un pizzico di sale
pepe q.b.
Preparazione.
1. In un contenitore alto e stretto mettete tutti gli ingredienti, senza l’olio.
2. Usando un frullatore ad immersione, tritate per qualche minuto gli ingredienti, aggiungendo un po’ d’acqua molto fredda, per evitare che la lama si scaldi.
3. Versate anche l’olio extra vergine d’oliva nel composto (poco alla volta e continuando a tritare), fino ad ottenere una consistenza cremosa.
4. Condite la pasta e servite.
This pesto sound wonderful. Love how you used walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts. And I really love arugula, so I must try.
Thank you darling! 🙂 it’s so simple to prepare and so tasty and healthy!
I love the ingredients inside your Rocket Pesto, Serena 🙂 Yesterday I did Basil Pesto, I should try the Rocket Pesto into my cuisine ! Have a great, great weekend 🙂
I have to say, I like pesto in every way :-)))) By the way, I love your pizza with pesto, Linda! Have a wonderful weekend darling!! 🙂
Wow what a beautiful looking and sounding pesto! I will be trying. Thank you 🙂
I am glad that you like it! It’s so easy to make, give it a try and let me know 🙂
Beautifully vivid– who could resist a plate with this pesto? And love the evolving photos, Serena!
Thank you! It was a lot of fun to take the pictures! This must be the easiest recipe I’ve ever photographed! 🙂 While, usually I end up with the food all over the place :-))
Ed io che non l’ho mai neppure assaggiato? vergano, vergogna, vergogna… il tuo con quel colore verde brillante mi ispira tantissimo!
Il pesto è tanto buono 🙂 Buonissimo anche quello alla genovese con i fagiolini e le patate bollite, magari con gli gnocchi…Yumm!!! 🙂
Serena – this is so vibrant! making pesto is one of my favorite (and easy) go to recipes, especially with arugula 🙂 give me any green and i will happily turn it into pesto!
Thank you so much, Alicia! Making pesto is so simple and healthy! And It’s a lot of fun trying out different versions 🙂
Never had rocket pesto in my life! Shame on me… it looks utterly beautiful. Amazing photography!
Thank you, Daniela! 🙂 Give it a try and then let me know :-)…By the way, I love your blog! Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Just love the vibrant color of your delightful green arugula pesto with pecorino cheese:) So glad to have found your site!
Likewise Peri, Likewise!! 🙂 I love the variety of your recipes and your breads are simply wonderful!!!