Pesto is a sauce that originates from Genoa, which is the capital of the Italian city, Liguria. This is a fairly popular sauce, and many people like to have it on dishes. There are a lot of food items that go with it, and it tops the lists of many people’s favorite sauces. Pesto is distributed all over the world by various companies, some of which only produce their variant of Pesto. It is a celebrate sauce and has a very iconic look. However, for someone that hasn’t tried it, the question is simply “what does Pesto taste like?”, and here is what we will be discussing.
It is used in a wide variety of Italian dishes and is a big part of Italian cuisine, and culture. Many forms of media highlight it, and it is a celebrated sauce representing the aforementioned Italian culture.
What does Pesto taste like? – Extremely delicious!
The reason why people love Pesto so much is that it is full of a variety of flavors. You may be asking yourself, but what does Pesto taste like, and the answer lies in the ingredients. Pesto is made up of fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, and all of this is mixed in with some olive oil. Now, as you can imagine, this tastes rather excellent and has all the flavors ideal for a sauce. The parmesan and olive oil bring all the flavors home and have a salty, very grassy flavor, which smells amazing too.
Some people enjoy it so much that they’ll have it plainly, without adding it to any dish at all. Many Italian dishes like Fettuccine, Cavatappi, and Trenette are mixed with Pesto to create incredible dishes. Many people and cultures from different parts of the world have also started using Pesto in their dishes, and it can be served as a side, just like Ketchup. You can even dip your french fries in it, and get a flavor like no other. It is also not that hard to make either, and if are interested, you can simply mix the ingredients we mentioned above, and have yourself some homemade pesto. It might not be as refined as what is served at a purely Italian restaurant, but it will just fine.
What does pesto mean in Italian? – The meaning behind the word!
Now that we have discussed the taste of Pesto, what does Pesto mean in Italian? Well, the word as we mentioned above, comes from the city of Genova which is in the Liguria region of Northern Italy. This word means “pound or crush”, which if you think about it makes a lot of sense. Since Pesto is a sauce or a paste, it is formed by the crushing of various ingredients that are then mixed with something truly magnificent. Now, a lot of purists will tell you that real Pesto is only found in the Italian city of Genova, and to a certain extent, that is very true. However, since sauces, and ingredients are common all around the world, Pesto has started to take many shapes and forms, and many countries have their version of it with slight differences in ingredients.
The main component in Pesto is still the basil. So, if you have grown some yourself, you can easily make Pesto at home, with fresh ingredients that you have personally looked after. This is a great hobby too, and as you experiment more with the quantity, you can get the best type of Pesto when it comes to your personal preference as well.
Is pesto healthy? – Yes and no!
Well, now that we have covered a bit of the origin, history, and general taste, why don’t we discuss it even further? Given how often it is used in Italian dishes like Pasta, Bread, Potatoes, and more, one could ask, is Pesto healthy? And the discussion around is a bit tricky. First off, Pesto on its own is healthy if taken in moderation. Something important to understand is that Pesto is usually made with a lot of oil; it is one of the more excessively used ingredients. Too much oil isn’t always healthy for everyone; plus, there is also the Parmesan cheese to consider. It is thus important to not overeat Pesto, and use it for what it is, which is a sauce.
Now, Pesto Pasta is a very famous dish; it is one of the most common Italian dishes. It is full of flavor and has healthy dosing of Pesto, which elevates the flavor of the Pasta. However, since this dish is still Pasta, and eating too much Pasta can increase your weight, it is recommended to not overeat. Instead, save it for special occasions, or cheat days. Anything in excess can cause issues; it is recommended that you maintain a balanced, healthy diet. This allows you to live to the fullest and allowing you to enjoy it at the same time. Pesto is great, and should be added to a lot of dishes, but again, in smaller quantities.
Conclusion
So, what does Pesto taste like? Well, as we discussed above, it has a great salty, earthy, and grassy flavor that elevates a dish that is in desperate need of a side sauce. It is also used in a wide variety of Italian cuisine, and has managed to make its way out of Italy, and is prepared all over the world. Many countries have created their variants of Pesto, but the base ingredient, which is the basil remains the same.
It is prepared in Olive Oil, and ideally, with some Parmesan Cheese. It tastes and smells great, and some of the best Italian dishes make use of it. Dishes like the Pesto Pasta are common enough; they are served in a lot of Italian restaurants that you can visit in your local area. This is one of the best sauces. There are many companies all over the world that only manufacture different flavors and variations of it.
