VERSATILE SAUCE

Gotu Kola Pesto

The traditional pasta sauce prepared with basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and garlic can also be made with a variety of other ingredients. This recipe can be tinkered with so much that the resultant pesto may be dairy or nut free, or even vegan.

By itself, pesto can be relatively healthy and nourishing too; it’s delightful since it consists of nutrition heavy pine nuts or a nut of choice, and an assortment of aromatics such as herbs and even vegetables.

The fat components of a pesto are the olive oil and Parmesan cheese, both of which can be adjusted for nontraditional recipes to fit taste profiles and dietary requirements.

Pesto can be made with a variety of herbs including parsley and coriander, and contains diverse nuts such as blanched almonds, cashews or walnuts.

A peanut and coriander pesto is a nice touch for an Asian inspired pasta dish. The versatility of ingredients that go into a pesto lends the sauce to various cuisines from around the world.

It can also be more than simply a pasta sauce. The many uses of pesto include being added to a pizza base; a marinade; in sandwiches; and as a sauce for boiled eggs and tuna, as well as other quick meals.

So indeed, a good pesto will add flavour and depth to the simplest of dishes and meals.