Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

---------------------YIELD: 1 INFORMED--------------------------
Basil, cheese, nut, oil

--------------------------HISTORY-------------------------------

The Genoese are known for dropping the ends of words and that's
probably how Pesto al Basilico became shortened to pesto. Pesto comes
from a verb (pestare in Italian) that just means "pounded". In Genoa
the preparation of this sauce is steeped in years of tradition. It
must be pounded with a marble pestle in a marble mortar, only the
Genoese basil, bathed by salty sea air as it grows will do; the
purest versions contain nothing but basil, cheese, garlic and olive
oil. The classic pesto contains two kinds of cheese, a little
Parmesan and young, sharp Sardinian pecorino or pecorino romano and
pine nuts or pignoli, extracted from the cones of the stone pine.
Pesto and the other green sauces of Italy all predate the tomato.
Many had their origin in Roman times, when they were frequently used
to disguise the flavors of overripe meats and other deteriorating
foods. DISCOLORATION: To prevent the discoloration of basil pesto, be
sure that the basil leaves are dry before you puree them, and pour a
thin layer of oil over the top of the pesto to keep the air out. Add
about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for every pint of pesto to counteract
the browning. PREPARATION: Toast the nuts (eight to ten minutes in a
325 degrees oven) for extra flavor. Unsalted, roasted pistachios can
be used in place of the more-expensive pine nuts. Be sure the herbs
you use are dry. Rinse, then either pat them dry in absorbent paper
towels or use a salad spinner. Taste the herbs before you use them
and balance the more assertive ones (such as dill, oregano and
rosemary) with spinach or parsley, preferably flat-leafed parsley.
Use quality ingredients - extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated
Parmesan cheese. Wait until the end of cooking time of recipes to add
pesto. Heat diminishes the taste and muddies the color. Often in
Italy the pesto is thinned by adding to it 1 or 2 tablespoons of the
hot spaghetti water before mixing it with the pasta. STORING:
Although you can prepare the pesto in advance and store it in the
refrigerator, it is preferable to eat them freshly made. Sun-dried
tomato and olive pesto can be kept for up to a week stored in the
refrigerator. Freezing pesto is not recommended because the texture
gets mushy. SUGGESTIONS: Top slices of focaccia with pesto and shard
of dry Monterey Jack cheese; to angel-hair pasta with grilled
scallops and pesto (dill or garlic chive go especially well); garnish
grilled polenta, sauteed crab cakes and warm quesadillas. Flavor
vinaigrettes, salsas, tomato or cream sauces, soups, and stews with
pesto, instead of fresh herbs. Brush broiled chicken with pest to
taste about 10 minutes before the end of cooking time. Serve with
tomatoes. Season mayonaise with a tablespoon or two of pesto when
making a potato salad. To 4 scrambled eggs, add 1 tablespoon pesto.
Sage pesto is wonderful on a baked potato. Arugula pesto with green
beans, cous cous or risotto Sorrel pesto is very exciting because of
its gorgeous color. sources: "Food Day" in the Daily Review, by Paula
Hamilton, Food Editor, July 6, 1994 and "Pesto" by Lou Seibert
Pappas, Chronicle Books $9.95 "Rice, Spice and Bitter Oranges,
Mediterranean Foods Festivals" by Lila Perl, World Publishing,
1967, 67-23361, page 121 "Silver Palate Cookbook" by Julee Rosso
Sheila Lukins with Michael McLaughlin, Workman Publishing, New York,
1982, "Summer Pastas" page 80 ISBN 0-89480-203-8, typed by Dorothy
Hair 7/7/94

TO ALL Submitted By ASTRID HO SUBJ VEGETAIRIAN On 06-07-95

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