L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano Y ou only need to mention pesto to get your taste buds into a fren- z y : f r e s h a n d creamy, tangy and aromatic, we all automatically think about the green stuff, pesto alla genovese. Mother of all sauces, it is the symbol of a region and became, I think, one of Italy's most recogniz- able and used ingredients, all over the world. B u t y o u k n o w w h a t ? There is more to pesto than Genova... The word pesto comes f r o m t h e I t a l i a n verb pestare, which means "to pound" or "to crush," which refers to the tradition- al way pesto is made: using a mortar and pestle to slowly grind fresh ingredients until they form a thick, aromatic paste. This ancient technique gives pesto its signature fla- vor and texture, and it's the reason why so many varia- tions exist across Italy, all sharing the same fundamen- tal method but using differ- ent local ingredients. The classic: pesto alla genovese A s s a i d , w h e n w e t a l k about pesto, we must start with pesto alla genovese, t h e m o s t f a m o u s v a r i e t y originating from Genoa in t h e L i g u r i a r e g i o n . T h e r e c i p e g a i n e d w o r l d w i d e recognition, but its roots are deep in Ligurian history, dating back to the 19th cen- tury. T h e k e y t o t h i s p e s t o ' s unique flavor lies in its sim- plicity and quality ingredi- ents: traditional pesto alla genovese is made with fresh basil from Liguria, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, and extra virgin olive oil, ideally from the local Taggiasca olive. The basil in Liguria has a distinct s w e e t n e s s , w h i c h , w h e n paired with mild garlic (from Vessalico) and pine nuts, creates a perfect balance. Everything is pounded by hand, slowly releasing the oils and aromas from the ingredients, with olive oil added at the end to create a c r e a m y c o n s i s t e n c y . T h i s labor-intensive process pre- serves the delicate flavors, u n l i k e m o d e r n m e t h o d s using blenders. According to food histori- ans, pesto alla genovese was i n s p i r e d b y a n a n c i e n t Roman sauce called more- tum, a mix of cheese, herbs, and garlic. Genoa, being a p o r t c i t y , h a d a c c e s s t o a variety of exotic ingredients, including pine nuts, which were blended with local basil to create the pesto we know t o d a y . T h e s a u c e i s a n emblem of Ligurian cuisine, o f t e n s e r v e d with trofie or trenette pasta, and sometimes even with potatoes and green beans mixed in. The sun in your plate: pesto alla siciliana Moving south, pesto alla siciliana offers a vivacious twist on the traditional green pesto. Also known as pesto rosso (red pesto) due to its rich red color, this version is all about the sun-drenched flavors of Sicily. Sun-dried tomatoes take center stage h e r e , a d d i n g a s w e e t a n d tangy flavor that is quite dif- ferent from the basil-heavy pesto alla genovese. Besides sun-dried toma- toes, pesto alla siciliana typ- ically includes fresh toma- toes, garlic, almonds (instead of pine nuts), basil, ricotta or Pecorino cheese, and olive oil. The almonds, common in S i c i l y d u e t o t h e i s l a n d ' s abundant almond trees, add a slightly nutty and earthy flavor. As with all pesto, the i n g r e d i e n t s a r e c r u s h e d together slowly to preserve the individual flavors. T h i s v e r s i o n o f p e s t o reflects Sicily's agricultural h e r i t a g e a n d h i s t o r y o f Mediterranean influences, particularly from the Arabs and Spanish who brought almonds and other impor- t a n t c r o p s t o t h e i s l a n d . Pesto alla siciliana is usually paired with short, hearty pasta like busiate, but it's also fantastic as a spread on bread or a topping for grilled vegetables. Mediterranean fusion: pesto alla trapanese Also from Sicily, pesto alla trapanese is the less- er-known cousin of pesto alla siciliana. It originated in the port city of Trapani, on the western side of the island a n d i t h a s b e e n h e a v i l y i n f l u e n c e d b y L i g u r i a n sailors who introduced their version of pesto to the local Sicilians. The Sicilians, then, adapted it using the ingredi- ents they had readily avail- a b l e , l i k e t o m a t o e s a n d almonds. The base of pesto alla tra- p a n e s e c o n s i s t s o f f r e s h tomatoes, almonds, garlic, basil, and Pecorino cheese. Like other types of pesto, it's made using a mortar and pestle to bring out the full flavors of the ingredients. T h e s a u c e i s l i g h t e r a n d fresher than pesto alla sicil- iana due to the use of fresh rather than sun-dried toma- toes, and it often pairs well w i t h s e a f o o d d i s h e s a n d lighter pasta like bucatini. S i c i l y ' s g r e e n g o l d : pesto di pistacchi S t i l l i n S i c i l y , w e f i n d a n o t h e r d e l i c i o u s variation, pesto di pistacchi, made primarily from pista- chios grown in the town of Bronte, famous for produc- ing some of the best pista- chios in the world. This pesto c e l e b r a t e s S i c i l y ' s " g r e e n gold," with the pistachios lending a smooth, nutty fla- vor and bright color to the sauce. I t s i n g r e d i e n t s i n c l u d e p i s t a c h i o s , b a s i l , g a r l i c , Parmigiano-Reggiano, and olive oil. Unlike the more solid flavors of pesto alla siciliana, this version has a milder, creamier taste. It's p e r f e c t f o r p a i r i n g w i t h pasta, seafood, or even as a topping for crostini. A f i e r y t w i s t : p e s t o alla calabrese P e s t o a l l a c a l a b r e s e brings a spicy kick to the table. Known for its bold fla- vors, this version of pesto shows Calabria's love of heat a n d h e a r t y i n g r e d i e n t s . Unlike the other pesto sauces we explored so far, pesto alla calabrese incorporates sweet red peppers and a bit of chili pepper to give it its charac- teristic fiery taste, along with garlic, ricotta cheese, Pecori- no and, of course, olive oil. T h e r e s u l t i s a s m o k y , creamy pesto with a subtle heat that builds as you eat. It's a perfect sauce for hearty p a s t a s l i k e r i g a t o n i or penne, but it's also fantas- tic as a spread or dip. FRANCESCA BEZZONE Pesto can be made with tomatoes, too, as they do in Sicily (Photo: Funandrejs/Dreamstime) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES OPEN 8AM - 5PM MONDAY TO SATURDAY. SUNDAY CLOSED A flavorful journey through the vibrant world of pesto

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