How to make an Italian seasoning at home? Nutritional value and chemical composition, benefits and harms of using pesto sauce. Recipes based on it and interesting facts about the culinary additive.
Pesto sauce is a specialty spice of Italian cuisine, which is served with all dishes - salads, soups and hot dishes. The full name of the product is Genovese pesto à la Olivia, where the first word means the method of preparation, and the last word is the main ingredient. Indeed, the main ingredients in the classic recipe are olive oil, green basil and sheep's cheese, sometimes of several varieties. The delicate sauce does not look very appetizing - a green, heterogeneous pasta. But the taste is described in different ways, noting the nutty-olive or cheese-garlic notes. Despite the seemingly incongruous ingredients, it is possible to obtain a harmonious composition.
Features of making pesto sauce
There are many options for preparing a seasoning, which can include from 6 to 12 ingredients. It is believed that in order to make pesto, as in Italy, it is necessary to grind all the components with a stone pestle in a marble mortar (or wooden in a ceramic or porcelain mortar), and not mix in a blender. Contact with metal negatively affects the taste of the final dish.
At home, pesto is prepared according to the following recipes:
- Simple sauce … Food is taken out of the refrigerator in advance so that it warms up to room temperature. Basil leaves, 100 g, dried with a paper towel and torn by hand into large pieces. In a mortar or ceramic bowl, pound 80 g of pine nuts and grind with coarse, preferably sea salt. A small pinch is enough, as you can always add salt. Pour herbs and finely chopped garlic into a mortar, grind, add 100 g of sheep's cheese and knead again. All components are added in turn, otherwise it will be difficult to obtain a uniform consistency. Olive oil is poured last - 150 g, after thorough mixing, you can taste.
- With spinach and pistachios … The ingredients are mixed according to the recipe already described, but crushed pistachios are used instead of pine nuts. A quarter cup of spinach and a bunch of asparagus are boiled separately until soft, chopped and poured into a mortar until Parmesan. Lemon juice is poured into the finished sauce after butter.
- With walnuts … Instead of pine nuts, walnuts are used, in the same amount, and instead of parmesan, they use hard spicy cheese. It is grated before adding to the sauce (it is best to use a plastic grater). If such an accessory is not at hand, then you can immediately, violating the recommendations for grinding by hand, use a blender. All ingredients are taken in 100 g each and poured into the blender bowl - cheese, walnut kernels, dried basil. Pour in 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice, add 2 garlic prongs, season with black pepper and salt. This pesto is smoother and more creamy in consistency.
- Red sauce … 2 tomatoes, always hard, cut into pieces and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 15 minutes. Put a garlic clove, 30 g of pine nuts and 15 g of walnuts, a bunch of fresh basil (maybe a little cilantro) in a blender bowl. After interrupting, pour in olive oil - less than when preparing classic pesto, 2 tbsp. l., and then 40 g of Parmesan and 50-60 g of curd cheese - feta cheese, sirtaki, Philadelphia or the like. Pour tomatoes last. Salt and pepper to taste.
The taste of the sauce, prepared according to different recipes, differs significantly. Yet it remains a classic Italian condiment.
Composition and calorie content of pesto sauce
The nutritional value of the seasoning is calculated relative to the classic recipe. By changing ingredients or choosing dietary options, it can be increased or decreased.
The calorie content of pesto sauce is 454-540 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 5, 3 g;
- Fat - 45.4 g;
- Carbohydrates - 6 g.
The vitamin and mineral composition of the product is rich and varies depending on the composition of the ingredients:
- Ascorbic acid - enhances immunity and suppresses the vital activity of free radicals.
- Retinol equivalent - accelerates the regeneration of epithelial tissues and stops age-related changes.
- Tocopherol acetate - has an antioxidant effect and accelerates the detoxification of the body.
- Nicotinic acid - eliminates vasospasm and increases the flow of oxygen to all organs and tissues.
- Cyanocobalamin - participates in the formation of erythrocytes and normalizes the state of the DNA chain, accelerates the removal of cyanides in case of poisoning.
- Folic acid - stimulates the production of pancreatic enzymes.
- Phosphorus - distributes energy to organs and tissues.
- Potassium - stabilizes heart contractions, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Sodium - retains fluid in the body, normalizes water and electrolyte balance.
- Manganese - accelerates the healing of wounds and postoperative sutures, helps dissolve cholesterol.
- Magnesium - improves nerve conduction, accelerates muscle formation, has anti-toxic and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Copper - Without it, insulin production, red blood cell formation, and the production of energy from foods are impossible.
- Zinc - a lack of a substance in the body inhibits sexual function.
The calorie content and composition of pesto sauce varies depending on the ingredients. For example, a diet product that includes fat-free olive oil, pistachios, and tofu soy has only 220 calories per 100 g.
Benefits of pesto sauce
Those who constantly introduce the product into the daily menu have noticed a decrease in blood cholesterol levels and a persistent decrease in blood pressure. In addition, Italians are less likely to develop heart attacks, strokes, coronary artery disease.
Benefits of pesto sauce
- Thanks to basil, which contains many essential oils, it strengthens the immune system, has an anti-inflammatory effect, soothes, eliminates insomnia and helps to cope with stressful situations and emotional instability.
- The pleasant taste stimulates receptors on the tongue, which send impulses to the brain. Serotonin, the “hormone of happiness,” is produced and the mood improves.
- Olive oil, which is an essential ingredient in pesto sauce, prevents age-related changes, accelerates the elimination of toxins and toxins, and increases the rate of peristalsis. Thanks to the composition of this product, free radicals circulating in the intestines are trapped and quickly removed from the body in a natural way.
- Garlic provides antimicrobial action. In addition, the natural antibiotic stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, bile acids and digestive enzymes.
- Thanks to cheese, regular consumption of the product strengthens bone tissue, prevents the development of osteoporosis and stops age-related changes.
The rest of the ingredients provide the benefits and harms of pesto. But do not count on rapid weight loss - there are no diets based on this seasoning. And when replacing parmesan with tofu, it is impossible to restore the supply of nutrients.
Contraindications and harm of pesto sauce
Only known ingredients are added to the homemade sauce, so the likelihood of developing an allergic reaction is minimal. But with the "store" options you need to be more careful. The composition may contain an unknown ingredient, preservatives and flavor enhancers.
Food-grade pesto sauce can also be damaged by storage or expiration dates.
Care should be taken to introduce a new product into the diet if a history of:
- Diseases of the digestive organs - chronic pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, gastritis with high acidity, enterocolitis. Garlic increases the stress on the pancreas and the digestive system in general.
- Bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis - nuts are highly allergenic.
- Active gout and arthritis. The seasoning contains a high amount of purines that enhance negative symptoms.
- Stomatitis - the pungency that garlic and spices give, corrodes the mucous membrane and slows down healing.
- Cholelithiasis. An increase in the speed of peristalsis is caused by an increased secretion of bile - together with it, calculi can enter the biliary tract.
Pregnancy is not a contraindication to the use of seasonings, but during lactation, it is necessary to analyze how the introduction of the product into the diet is reflected in the condition of the baby.
It is not necessary to "introduce" the new taste to children under 5 years old. The influence of a multicomponent dish cannot be predicted in advance, moreover, spicy at this age is not recommended. If you exclude sea salt, peppers and nuts - the most dangerous ingredients - from your homemade option, you get a fatty paste of herbs and cheese that has nothing to do with the original product.
Pesto recipes
This seasoning goes well with first courses, salads and even desserts. This additive gives the most common products an original taste.
Pesto Recipes:
- Sand baskets … The sauce is prepared according to the classic recipe. Beat with a mixer 100 g of butter with 125 g of sugar, add an egg, a pinch of vanillin and 2/3 teaspoons of baking powder. Stir, combine with flour - 250 g, add salt. The batch is wrapped with cling film and left for an hour on the refrigerator shelf. Preheat the oven to 220 ° C, grease the cake tins with sunflower oil. Roll the same lumps of dough, lay out in molds, press down to distribute the dough along the walls. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Grilled vegetables of your choice. Cut into small pieces, put in molds, put in the oven for 2 minutes. Spread the pesto on top before serving.
- Chicken breasts … Fillet is cut into small portions, spread on a hot frying pan. Stir constantly until a golden brown crust appears. When the meat is half fried, pour white wine into the pan and add spices to taste. Fried chicken is mixed, without removing from the heat, with sour cream and red pesto. As soon as everything boils, you can turn it off. Potatoes are served as a side dish.
- Squid with pesto … Potatoes are fried in vegetable oil until golden brown. Longitudinal cuts are made on the squid fillets and left to marinate in olive oil with red pepper. 10 minutes before the final readiness of the potatoes, spread the fillet on a baking sheet. Served with green pesto and cilantro.
- Pesto pasta … Knead a dough of 2 eggs and 500 g of premium wheat flour, adding a little salt. When the batch is very dense, pour in a little ice water. Let it stand for 30 minutes to "rest". If you have a food processor attachment, the paste is easier to make. If not, roll out the dough in thin layers, sprinkle with flour, roll it up several times and cut into thin strips. The finished noodles are laid out in one layer to dry out. Cook for 10 minutes, mix with pesto before serving.
- Soup … Beans, 100 g, soaked overnight, boiled until tender in cold water. Peel and cut vegetables - onions, zucchini, carrots, bell peppers. Carrots and onions are fried in a pan until golden brown, the rest of the vegetables are cut into small cubes. All the ingredients are sent to the pan, 80 g of fine noodles are added. Add salt and pepper just before turning it off. When serving, add 1 tbsp to each plate. l. pesto sauce.
Interesting facts about pesto sauce
Judging by the fact that cookbooks dated 1865 describe several options for the preparation of the original Italian seasoning, the product was widespread in Italy.
It is believed that the invention of pesto sauce was accidental. Basil has been used as an antidote after snake bites and poisonous insects such as tarantulas and scorpions, to treat infectious diseases, including tick-borne encephalitis, and skin problems. Eczema, dermatitis and some skin conditions were treated with a mixture of basil and sunflower oil. One of the patients tried a pleasant-smelling ointment and liked the taste. Since then, it has taken its rightful place in the national cuisine of Liguria. Further, other components were added to the composition of the pesto sauce, due to which the taste was significantly improved.
The main options for classic Italian seasoning recipes:
- Pesto Genovese … Features of the variety: basil from Genoa (there is no mint flavor in it), instead of pine nuts - seeds of Italian pine pine, and cheese - pecorino or parmesan. Extra virgin olive oil - only cold pressed.
- Red pesto … This sauce is preferred in Sicily. It contains sun-dried tomatoes, which give a sour taste. And in the city of Trapani, the seasoning is prepared without cheese and pine nuts are replaced with almonds.
- Yellow pesto … Creamy sauce is prepared in southern Italy. Instead of parmesan, the recipes include ricotta.
- Purple pesto … The original color is achieved using purple basil. In addition, butter is additionally added to the composition.
When purchasing a product from a store, pay attention to the country of manufacture. When purchasing Thai sauce, it is impossible to enjoy the original taste - mint and fish sauce are introduced into it. Austrian producers replace pine nuts with pumpkin seeds; in Germany, spinach or wild garlic is used instead of basil.
How to make pesto sauce - watch the video:
The shelf life of the purchased sauce after opening the container can be increased by pouring olive oil on the surface. But it is better to freeze homemade products by spreading them out in molds. In this case, the useful properties of the product are preserved in full.
