Best Kale Pesto Recipe (Video) How To Make Pesto - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

How do you spice up pesto? ›

If the kale pesto tastes bitter, add 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup or honey to balance it.

That's because, for all its simplicity, pesto is a pungent sauce. Don't believe me? Just think of what's packed into it: heaps of fresh, aromatic basil (an assertive herb all by itself); raw garlic; aged cheeses; and rich nuts, plus a good glug of spicy olive oil to hold it all together. There's nothing mild about it.

As for what we do recommend, our go-to method to tone down the excessive garlicky taste of pesto is to add a little acidity and sweetness. Acid (normally in the form of lemon juice or vinegar) denatures allicin, the source of garlic's spiciness.

Why is my pesto bland? It's likely because you need to add more basil or salt. You want your pesto to taste slightly too salty - that way when it's mixed with pasta the dish won't be bland.

Acid in the form of vinegar or citrus juices can make a pesto taste less bitter and could even enhance the flavour of the sauce at the same time. In low concentrations, salt can be used to suppress bitterness, which is why people have been adding tiny amounts to coffee for decades. Always go easy to start with.

PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature. If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.

The most common reason for pesto tasting bitter is that the olive oil is past its best and has started to turn rancid. If the pesto has been made in a food processor or blender, there's also the possibility that it has turned bitter from the crude, sheering action of the blades.

Reserve some pasta water.

The salty, starchy pasta water will loosen the pesto enough to make a light sauce over the pasta. Because of its salty, starchy quality, this water will make a more flavorful, thicker final pesto sauce than regular water would.

Put basil, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, canola oil, salt and pepper into a food processor bowl and process until finely chopped; do not over process, - you don't want the mixture to become a thick paste.

What is the difference between pesto and genovese sauce? ›

Genovese pesto is the classic, raw basil sauce that we all know and love, while Genovese sauce is a slow-cooked meat sauce that, despite its name, is most associated with Naples in the Campania region of Italy.

Still, the most famous pesto—and the one we tend to think of when we hear the word—is pesto alla genovese.

Additions - Some roasted or fresh cherry tomatoes would be delicious, I like to add fresh basil leaves to the top too. Pesto usually has pine nuts but you could add some extra toasted ones into the sauce. To add some greens you could mix through some chopped fresh spinach.

What does pesto taste like? Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.

Add 1/4 cup chicken stock and a bit of heavy cream, maybe 2 Tbsp, and add in my pesto. Let it all cook together until it's the consistency I want, then add in the pasta, toss, and serve immediately.

Yes, pesto can be used straight from the jar and doesn't require cooking or heating. In fact, we actively discourage applying too much heat to pesto, as this will destroy many of the fresh flavours that producers work so hard to retain.