Cilantro Pesto

Pesto is a “mother recipe” in Italian cuisine. 

This one is a delightful and surprising variation on that classic.

Preparation

Wash the cilantro and pick the leaves. Discard any brown bits, but keep the stems.

Seed the jalapenos and peel the garlic cloves.

You should have about two cups of herbs. Roughly chop them and place in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add garlic, jalapeños, pistachios, lime zest and juice.

Turn on machine, pulsing to chop the herbs and pour in the oil in a steady stream, pulsing until the mixture is mostly smooth.

Add Parmesan to combine. Add good pinch of salt to taste and a grind of pepper.

If you feel it needs more acid, add lime or lemon juice.

Store in refrigerator with a film of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation and discoloration.

It can be stored for a few days, but be sure to bring it up to room temperature before using.

Serving

The bright, fresh taste of this sauce should be the centerpiece of the dish, so keep it simple! Rigatoni is a great choice for the pasta because it holds sauce so well, but linguini is also delightful.

Finish with swirl of our Oilio Nuoo, and have extra Parmigiano Reggiano (the real stuff; it’s worth it) available to grate at the table. Somehow, it’s even better with a sliced baguette to sop up all the juicy bits at the end.

This is wonderful when paired with one of our crisp whites, like Vermentino, Allegro Bianco, or Fiano.