Italian Food Forever » Arugula Pistachio Pesto — italianfoodforever.com

When most folks hear the word pesto, they automatically think of the Ligurian specialty made with fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Although this regional specialty is indeed delicious and I make it often myself, there are so many more options when it comes to making pesto. I have recently started using pistachio nuts in my pesto recipes, and in place of basil, I use arugula, or a combination of parsley, basil and mint. A couple of weeks ago, I also made a tasty pesto using fresh fava beans from my garden that we enjoyed drizzled on pizza. Other ingredient combinations I enjoy in a pesto are kale and walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes and almonds, as well as broccoli and hazelnuts. Depending on what I plan to use my pesto for, sometimes I will puree it until it is almost smooth, while other times I want to leave it chunky.

Read More