You Can’t Be Depressedo When You Make Your Own Pesto

A good summer morning to each and every one of you! It’s been a hot few weeks here in the nation’s capital, lemme tell you. Amidst this heat comes some good news, though. Indoor dining is set to return next week! W00T! All my restauranteur friends are breathing somewhat of a sigh of relief. Now, finding new staffing to work with the increased business flow… well, that’s another story. Good luck to all.

Anyways, hot summer weather is what we’re talking about here. The kind of weather that basil just adores. And if we’re talking about basil, well the most logical place to go from here would be pesto, wouldn’t it? I mean, you read the title. Don’t feign ignorance.

Yes, I’ll admit it, I got the idea less from the weather and more because we watched Luca last week. Whatever.

Pesto is a lovely thing when made at home. Now, as with many regional Italian specialities, pesto kinda blew up in the 90’s. There was pesto everywhere. On everything. Made out of anything. This is not what I’m trying to talk about.

On the one hand, I believe you can make perfectly serviceable pestos out of things other than the classic ingredients. Swap basil for sun-dried tomatoes? Okay. Exchange pine nuts for pistachios? If that’s your thing. A different herb, perhaps? Mint or sage? Couldn’t be me, but maybe you’ll prove me wrong.

On the other hand, there’s nothing so good as a homemade pesto made with fresh summer basil and all the usual suspects. It just works so well. Be as creative as you like, but I’m confident you’ll never topple the king OG pesto from its tasty, tasty throne.

Pesto means “to pound or crush” in Italian. Those traditionalists I always talk about when we’re talking Italian food would tell you that if it’s not made in a mortar and pestle, it’s not pesto. I mean, they’ll also tell you that if you’re not using specifically Genovese basil, it’s not pesto. Ignore the haters. If you’re growing basil in your garden, then that’s the best basil to use. And a food processor makes good, if not great pesto in a fraction of the time.

Pesto is a fragile thing of beauty. Don’t make a ton at a time. Make what you’ll use in a day or two. Seal it tightly and keep it cold if you have leftovers. And don’t heat your pesto in a pot or pan. If it’s going with hot food, add it to the nearly completed dish as close to serving as possible, so the bright flavours and colours stay vibrant.

Pesto on pasta is my favorite way to get down, but I see a lot of folks futz up the process. So, here, let’s do this:

Penne al Pesto

Ingredients:

• 230g dried penne (or use whatever shape floats your boat)
• Kosher salt, as needed
• 26g (3 tbsp) pine nuts
• 40-50g basil, leaves only, rinsed in cold water, dried completely on paper towels
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 118mL (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 45g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated finely on a microplane
• 10g (2 tbsp) Pecorino Romano, finely grated on a microplane

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil on a back burner.
2. If your pine nuts aren’t toasted, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, lay the nuts out in a single layer on the sheet and bake for 5-6 until golden brown and toasty. Remove immediately from the hot sheet pan to a plate to cool. Allow the nuts to cool to room temperature before continuing.
3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel ‘S’ blade, place the (cooled) pine nuts, garlic, a hefty pinch of salt and the olive oil. Process until combined.
4. Add your pasta to the water, cooking until al dente, usually 1-2 minutes shy of the manufacturer’s suggestion.
5. Meanwhile, as the pasta cooks, add the basil to the food processor and process until a thick, creamy pesto comes together, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and ensuring the contents don’t get too hot due to the mechanical action of the processor.
6. Scrape the pesto into a medium sized bowl using a spatula, and stir in the cheeses by hand. You COULD do this in the machine, but I prefer the texture of doing it by hand. Taste for seasoning, adding salt or more cheese as desired.
7. Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it to a heatproof bowl using a spider or strainer. Toss with a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Add the pesto and a small ladle of the pasta cooking water and toss vigorously to form a creamy, emulsified sauce. Grate more cheese into the pasta and toss again, if desired.
8. Plate and eat immediately. If you didn’t add more cheese before, you can grate some on now.

It’s an extremely simple pleasure, this dish. The pasta is there to provide weight, body and a vehicle for the pesto. The gentle heating shouldn’t destroy the colour or aromas, but release them as each forkful approaches your mouth. Believe me when I say you can’t be depressdo when you make your own pesto.

What’s your take on basil pesto, dear readers? Did you get enough in the 90’s? Is your only experience with it a prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich with a hint of pesto aioli? Let me know in the comments below or via email, and we’ll see you soon!