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~ …… (oon∙poh∙dee∙PEH∙peh) Cristina writes about interesting stuff /Cristina scrive di cose interessanti

Un po' di pepe

Tag Archives: Basilico

In My Kitchen, September 2018

04 Tuesday Sep 2018

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Mangiamo!

≈ 32 Comments

Tags

Basilico, Fiori di zucca, In my kitchen, Oregano, Passata di pomodoro, Pesto Genovese, Pomodori, Pomodori secchi

Late August/early September is a busy time in my kitchen, and even busier in my parents’ garage.  The garage has a sink and propane burner, so it counts as a kitchen too!  Mid August, I am usually just getting home from 3-4 weeks in Italia and am right back to work the next day for a jet-lag infused reality check.

My garden is thirsty for water and full of erbacce-weeds that need to be pulled.  The fruits of the garden are ripe for picking. This was a good year for pomodori-4 different varieties.  My favourite are the ciliegine or cherry tomatoes.  I eat them like candy, and freeze some for making brodo-broth for the winter. My parents get back from Italia at the end of August, then we make passata di pomodoro to can for the year. We use whatever is ripe enough from our gardens, and purchase a lot more.  This is a major production involving the whole family, but is totally worth the effort.  I like to call it ‘Salsapalooza’.  Read more about our passata di pomodoro making in this post.

The origano-oregano was picked about a month ago and hung to dry in bundles.  It is ready to be crumbled and stored in jars.

My Mamma brings home pomodori secchi, sun-dried tomatoes from the mercato in Orsara di Puglia.  We put them in jars under oil with garlic, parsley and capers.  Yum!

In May, I planted basilico seeds in every available pot I could find and the crop was a good one, so I am making a lot of pesto this year.  I bought a stash of pine nuts while I was in Italia. My recipe for Pesto Genovese can be found here.

I am sad to pick the last of my fiori di zucca.  They are too delicate to keep or freeze.  I make them battered and fried, stuffed, battered and fried, or stuffed and baked.  Sometimes I use the broken bits to make frittelle or a frittata.  I am always shocked that so many people do not know these delicate morsels are edible!  To learn how to pick them and what to do with them, check out my post Fiori di zucca.

Some of my zucchine grew too big while I was away, so I have put those aside to make chocolate zucchini cake.  You would never know there is a lot of vegetable in it!  Sorry, it did not last long enough for a photo!

My raspberry bushes were producing a bowlful a day in June and July.  Now there are just 5-10 berries per day.  I have been hoarding them until I had just enough for one last batch of jam!

Rucola gets put in and on everything!  In my salad, on my pizza, on my thin cut sautéed beef. Some even goes into the freezer for making pasta patate e rucola, on of my favourite comfort foods in the winter.

That is about all from my kitchen (and my parents’ garage) this month.  What is happening in your cucina?  This post is part of the monthly ‘In my Kitchen’ linkup hosted by Sherry.  To read the other posts click this link to her blog Sherry’s Pickings

Ciao, Cristina

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Pesto Genovese

18 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Mangiamo!, Recipes

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

Basilico, Italian food, Moretum, Mortar and pestle, Pesto, Pesto Genovese, Pesto recipe, Traditional recipes

Pesto2This year, I grew basilico (basil) from seed again.  Thanks to the unusually warm summer, my plants were happy and grew nicely.  I love to shake the basilico plant a bit, stick my face in it and inhale the incredible aroma.  Some of my basilico was already used to make passata di pomodoro.  The rest will be used to make Pesto, before it starts to rain and the leaves turn brown.basilico

Pesto Genovese, usually just called Pesto, originated in Genoa, Liguria.  It is made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Before the age of food-processors, Pesto was made by grinding the ingredients in a marble or stone mortar with a wooden pestle.  The words ‘pesto’ and ‘pestle’ come from ‘pestare‘ which means to pound or crush.  The most flavourful pesto is actually made by hand with a mortar and pestle, but it is hard work! Pesto made with old stone mortar/mortaioLigurian basilico has very small leaves and is easier to grind.  My basilico tends to have very large leaves and is difficult to crush.  The biggest problem with the food processor is that it gets very hot.  I recommend putting the blades in the freezer for an hour before making pesto.  This prevents the food processor from overheating and the pesto is also less likely to turn brown.basilicobw

The ancient Romans made something similar called Moretum.  They named it after the mortar instead of the pestle!  Moretum was a spread made with fresh sheep milk cheese, herbs, salt, pine nuts and olive oil.

Basilico was likely brought to Italia from India, and the climate of Liguria was perfect for it.  The Genovese adapted the Romans’ recipe to include basilico, and Pesto Genovese was born! In Liguria, Pesto is usually served with trofie or linguine.  It is also used on pasta, potatoes and green beans, all cooked in the same pot of water. Yum!

When I make Pesto, I do not measure the ingredients, but I estimated them here for you. Good quality ingredients are necessary to make delicious Pesto.  No skimping!Pesto Genovese

Pesto Genovese

2 firmly packed cups (500 ml) large basil leaves

3 cloves of garlic

¼ cup (50 grams) European pine nuts

salt and pepper

½ cup (125 ml) good quality extra virgin olive oil

½ cup (45 grams) grated Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Romano

½ cup (45 grams) grated Parmigiano Reggiano

  • Put the blades of the food processor in the freezer for an hour
  • Wash the basil and dry well.  Water on the leaves will turn them brown and the Pesto will go bad.  Yuck!
  • I like to toast the pine nuts as it brings out the flavour, but this is optional
  • Blend garlic and pine nuts in a food processor until fine
  • Add basil, pulsing a handful at a time until blended
  • Add salt and pepper.  Not too much salt, as the cheese is salty too
  • Pour in olive oil slowly while food processor is running
  • Pour it all into a bowl and add the Pecorino and Parmigiano
  • Spoon the Pesto into small jars with tight fitting lids
  • Seal the jar with a thin film of olive oil
  • Pesto keeps well in the fridge for 6-8 months.  If you use part of a jar, add another thin film of olive oil before putting it back in the fridge
  • To freeze the Pesto, leave out the 2 cheeses and add them when you are going to use itPesto1

Buon Appetito!

©2015 unpodipepe.ca

basilico4

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