Did you know that a classic pistachio pesto can have around 575 calories and 82 grams of fat per serving!!
I was just reading the pesto recipe on a package of basil and this is what I read:
Yield: 1 1/3 cups
Pistachio Pesto Ingredients:
4 oz fresh basil
1 cup grated romano or pecorino cheese
1 cup pine-nuts
1/2-1 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
I had to do the math, because just from looking at it, I could tell the fat and calories were going to be off the charts…And they were!!
It came out to a total of 2301 calories and 328 grams of fat for the recipe. And I only calculated for 1/2 of the oil, not the full cup!
Just for some pesto? Really?! I love pesto, but that just isn’t cool…. In any way.
My recipe makes 3/4 cup which is enough for a 12 ounce bag of pasta, so as a main (4 portions) that comes to a total, not counting the pasta, of 139 calories and 13 grams of fat per person.
Now that’s more like it!!
Yield: 3/4 cups- Enough for 12 ounces of pasta
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup raw pistachios
4 oz fresh basil
2 Tablespoons olive oil
*3/4 teaspoon salt
*Use this amount of salt if tossing with pasta. If you want it for a spread or for another application, use 1/4 teaspoon.
Procedure:
Remove basil leaves and discard stems. Wash and dry basil.
Put garlic, pistachios and salt in a food processor and process until nuts are chopped into small pieces. Approx 20-25 seconds
Add basil leaves. Turn on processor and slowly drizzle in oil. Process until basically smooth, but still retains some texture, scraping once.
*It will be salty. Don’t panic! When you toss it with the pasta, it will be just right.
Cook noodles according to package. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water before draining the pasta.
Put the pesto into the pot you cooked the noodles in. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and stir to blend.
Add pasta and toss to evenly coat. Adjust salt to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Tip: The pesto freezes, so if you don’t use it all, or want to make a big batch, freeze away!
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