Nuts Basil and Mint Pesto are nut pesto variations straight from Tuscany. Pesto is delicate and, at the same time, very nutty, perfect for a quick dish for a light dinner or lunch. A mild mint note refreshes the taste, and the basil gives it an aroma. It is an exciting culinary discovery.
How to choose the best ingredients for Nuts Basil and Mint Pesto
Walnuts: walnuts are the basis of this dish, they give the main flavor note. Choose the best quality you can. The best are shelled shells, then they have the most flavor. However, I am aware that it is then a time-consuming dish. So good quality packaging can also be.
Pine nuts: the pine nuts give the pesto a sour and sour taste and a light pine aroma. However, apart from their taste, they are an excellent source of iron and magnesium. Besides, they contain a lot of healthy fats like any nuts. Therefore, it is worth having them in your diet.
Parmesan cheese: you can replace Parmesan cheese with Grana Padano because it resembles, other Italian substitutes will be Pecorino Romano and other varieties of hard Pecorino.
Olive oil: It is only the one from Italy, like olive oil, because the dish is also Italian. To be sure that the olive oil comes from Italy, you should also check the country of origin of the olives, not just where the oil is bottled. We choose extra virgin olive oil.
Basil: choose fresh basil leaves. Dried basil is not suitable for pesto because it does not have this consistency.
Mint: we choose mint just like basil leaves fresh. It adds extra flavor to the dish and is an indispensable dried version.
Whipping cream: the best cream will be fresh and sweet. Cream that has a slightly bitter taste can destroy the taste of the pesto.
Tips and tricks
- You can replace cream and parmesan with vegetarian substitutes such as yeast flakes and vegetarian cream. Or the cream you can skip.
- You can store pesto for 2-3 days in a refrigerator in a closed container. Such a short shelf life is due to the cream, which can spoil.
Nuts Basil and Mint Pesto
Ingredients
- 400 gr Tagliatelle
- 50 gr walnuts
- 40 gr pine nuts
- 50 gr grated Parmesan cheese
- 60 ml olive oil
- 5 basil leaves
- 3 mint leaves
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
Instructions
- Put 30 ml of olive oil, walnuts, and pine nuts into the blender, and add basil leaves and cream. Mix until smooth.
- Then add the Parmesan cheese, mint leaves, and the rest of the oil. Blend and add salt to taste.
- Boil the tagliatelle in salted water according to the recipe on the package and drain it.
- Pour the pesto, and you can add a few basil leaves for decoration.